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katiebug445 · 3 years

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All Along There Was Some Invisible String Tying You to Me

Jearmin week day 3: first meeting

@twoboys-onesoul

Since he was a little kid, Armin had always found the park near his home to be the most romantic place he knew. It was nearly a mile walk from his small home he shared with his grandfather, but he didn’t mind. Especially not on days like this.

Armin sat on his favorite bench that overlooked the large rose garden in the center of the park, the faint smell of the blooms hitting his nose and bringing a sense of calm over him. In his hands, one of his favorite books sat open with a small bookmark marking his page, and beside him on the cool iron sat a cup of steaming tea. Around him, people walked their dogs or with other people, but he couldn’t make out much of what was said. The noise faded into the background as he read, getting himself lost in the story spread out across three hundred pages.

After a little while, he set his book down and brought the paper cup to his lips, taking a miniscule sip of the warm drink to make sure it was cooled down enough he wouldn’t burn his mouth, and sighed in contentment as the tea hit his tastebuds. This was perfect, he thought. Nothing could hope to get better than this.

As he sat there, he caught movement from the corner of his eye, and a bubbly couple made their way down the path through the center of the garden, the gravel crunching pleasingly under their feet. The man took the woman right to the heart of it and spoke soft words that Armin couldn’t hear, but thought he had a good idea of what was about to happen. Sure enough, after another few seconds, he dropped to one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket, holding it out for his girlfriend. Armin set his cup down and focused his attention on the couple, waiting with bated breath to know what she would say. It took a moment, but eventually she nodded, and both he and the new fiance breathed a sigh of relief. He watched the two of them for another moment before going back to his book, a soft, happy smile on his face for having witnessed such a magical moment.

Jean slumped against the counter, exhausted after a busy dinner rush. It was the beginning summer, the greenhouse’s busiest time of year, because every idiot in the city decided that June was the perfect time to propose or get married, and they always had a tough time keeping up with the amount of orders and walk-ins that came looking for flowers. He ran his hands back through his hair, his head propped up on his palms, and let out a deep, exhausted sigh. It wasn’t near time to go home yet, but part of him considered leaving early just so he didn’t have to deal with anymore people.

Once the last of the stragglers headed out, he took the opportunity to tend to some of the newer plants, the ones that had just started to sprout within the last week. He picked up the watering can they left by the hose and filled it, walking it over to the buds in their pots, and gave them all a good drink. This was one of the best parts of his job. Jean had always been known in his neighborhood to have a bit of a green thumb, thanks to growing up with his mother and the blessing of a corner lot that was mostly a massive garden that she’d tended since she was Jean’s age, and had made sure to teach her young son how to care for the plants they grew. He always loved watching the flowers sprout up at work, offering them quiet encouragements that they would be perfect once they showed themselves to the world.

He watered the sunflowers first, then moved the pots into the sun a bit more, dissatisfied with where they’d been left, then moved onto the roses. Those were his favorites to watch grow. He loved watching the sprouts begin to grow and climb the small trellises they placed in the pots once they were big enough, and always wished he was able to take some of them home to grow on the one he had at the house. He couldn’t, though, because roses were in such a high demand, there were never any left for the employees to bring home by the end of the wedding season.

With a small sigh, Jean watered the roses and then took the can back to its usual place, just in time for the door to open and the cycle to start again.

Armin sat near the window of the cafe downtown, the sun shining in and desperately trying to warm him back up. He was sat directly under the vent and cold air blasted him in the face, making him freeze despite his cardigan. It was the middle of summer, his favorite time of year, and he couldn’t wait to be outside watching the birds and listening to the people around him enjoying themselves. In his pocket, he had a small bag of seeds that he could feed them, and looked forward to hearing them chirp excitedly.

A small smile crossed his face at the thought of it, and wrapped his hands around his cup, grateful for the hot tea that was quickly cooling thanks to the AC. Outside, people walked by, but Armin didn’t pay them much mind, preferring to get lost in the pages of his books or the podcasts on his phone. Today, though, he found himself glancing longingly out the window for something he didn’t know. The longer he sat there, the stronger the longing got, and eventually began to turn sad.

He couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but the comfort he normally found in the cafe was just upsetting him now. His tea forgotten for the time being, Armin propped his head up on his hands and let out a long breath, trying to figure his own emotions out.

Jean was enjoying a rare day off from the greenhouse and decided to stroll the town, even though the sun was hot and it was starting to get to him. He didn’t mind sweating, but he hated how suffocating the heat was on his back. It made it hard to breathe, and every step he took felt like it added ten pounds to him. He wanted to step inside one of the shops and cool off a bit and hide from the summer sun.

He longed for the cool of autumn, the chilly breeze that knocked leaves from the trees and scattered them on the ground like a monochrome mosaic. Jean loved it. He loved the brisk morning walks with those same leaves crunching under his shoes, the air just beginning to nip at his cheeks and nose, and the flowers that would be in bloom: helenium, pansies, chrysanthemums, asters… it was always beautiful to watch them grow and compliment each other with their deep, rich colors.

With a sigh, Jean pulled himself from his thoughts and back into the blistering heat, and sped up a bit when he saw the sign for the local cafe coming up on his right. Jean booked it, wanting to get into the cool air as fast as possible, and almost bumped into someone as he opened the door.

They were wearing a cardigan of all things, and it struck Jean as so odd, he couldn’t help but watch them for a moment as they disappeared around the corner, perfectly comfortable in long sleeves despite the near hundred degree heat. With a shake of his head, he walked inside and ordered himself an iced coffee.

It was a rare night for Armin, having been dragged out of his house by his friends, to let loose. Eren and Mikasa had talked him into getting dinner at the German pub downtown, and he found himself enchanted. Booths and a few tables made up one side, and a bar on the other, it was loud and boisterous and surprisingly a lot of fun. The walls were covered with photographs and maps of Germany, newspaper clippings in both German and English, and faded black and white pictures of men, women, and children from the 1800s on were scattered here and there, giving a quick glimpse into their lives from when they were taken. Everything else was covered in plows and tools from a simpler time, and beer steins with intricate artwork depicted on the bodies.

While the others ordered food, Armin walked around, eyes scanning everything they could take in and finding a huge smile crossing his face and getting lost in the culture surrounding him until his friends called him over to their table.

Jean collapsed on his couch after getting home from work, exhausted and ready to be off his feet. He could smell food from the kitchen and hear his mother bustling around, and a little smile crossed his face at the thought of getting to eat some of her cooking. He let himself rest for a moment before getting up and going to help her out.

A half hour later, and they were sharing some käsespätzle and Jean was telling her about his day, and how busy the greenhouse was, and she listened with a proud smile.

“It’s so nice to see you doing something you enjoy so much.” She said, clearing the plates and putting them in the sink, getting ready to do the dishes.

“Mama,” Jean started, getting up and going up to her, “let me worry about it. Please?”

She stared him down for a moment before finally relenting, letting Jean take over. “Thank you.”

With a smile of his own, Jean got everything ready, and a silence fell between them for a moment before he spoke again. “You should come with me to Schmidts sometime to eat. It’s not as good as your cooking, but it would save you some work…”

“Is that the place downtown?” She asked, giving him a curious look. “Maybe someday.”

Armin was sat at his favorite bench once again with another book, the stresses of his day beginning to melt away in the warmth of the sun, and after reading for a little while, marked his page and closed it, setting it in his lap and closing his eyes. He didn’t know how long he sat there, but he knew he must have dozed in and out a few times, given how drowsy he was when he finally came to. Armin picked up his tea and blew on it before taking a sip, and really gave himself a moment to savor it. Jean decided to take a quick walk through the park before having to go to work, wanting to be out in the fresh air as much as possible since it wasn’t so hot. It was a beautiful day; the sky was light blue and covered in fluffy white clouds, birds chirped and sang and chipmunks scurried across the path and into the trees for safety, and seeing them made Jean smile. They were a rare sight, and he always enjoyed seeing the little critters running around. He was about halfway done when he caught sight of someone sitting on one of the benches with a cardigan on in the middle of summer.

Jean let himself wonder about it for a second before realizing he’d seen this person before, and with curiosity getting the better of him, he decided to say something. He walked up to them on the side, seeing they had a book in their lap when he was close enough, and chuckled a little bit. “Hemingway?” He commented, and the man on the bench jumped, looking up at him in surprise. He was gorgeous, Jean realized quickly, with big blue eyes and fluffy hair that looked so soft he had to really restrain himself from reaching out to touch it.

“What’s wrong with Hemingway?” Armin asked, looking up at the man with a little bit of a blush in his cheeks, feeling a bit defensive for his taste in literature.

“Nothing, if you like a snooze fest.” Jean said, unable to help himself from teasing a little. “Aren’t you hot in that thing?”

Armin looked down at himself, realizing then that Jean was talking about his cardigan, and tugged self consciously at his sleeve. “No.” He admitted. “I barely notice it, honestly.”

“Well, looking at it is making me hot. You realize this is summer, right?”

Armin just nodded, a bit embarrassed to have so much of himself called out by a total stranger.

Jean saw the blush in his cheeks and thought to himself that he’d never seen something so cute in his entire life. Taking the plunge, he decided to sit down with him on the bench, gently moving his tea a little closer to him so he didn’t spill it. “I’m Jean.” He introduced.

Armin hesitated, looking the man up and down and trying to gage what he was getting at in telling him his name, but after a few seconds, he decided to give in, and took a breath. “Armin.”

“Armin…” Jean repeated, smiling a little when he said it. He really liked the sound of it. “Well, Armin, can I ask what you’re doing sitting in the park with Hemingway for company, and a cardigan on when it’s so damn hot?”

Armin thought about it for a moment, running his fingers over the well worn spine of his book, and shrugged. “I’m just enjoying the day.” He said after awhile. “What are you doing going up to a complete stranger and just sitting down uninvited?”

“Do you want me to go?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Now it was Jean’s turn to think. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Just wanted to talk to the weirdo boiling himself to death.” He chuckled.

Armin chuckled, too, unable to help himself, and turned a little so he was facing Jean more directly.

They sat there together most of the day, Jean calling into work and explaining that he couldn’t come in, just talking and getting to know one another. Jean was German, as it turned out, and loved the same pub that Armin was becoming obsessed with. Armin loved sitting and smelling the flowers while he read, and Jean invited him to come visit him at work sometime so he could give him a tour. They both loved the cafe where Jean had first seen him, and after an hour or two, both decided to go get something to drink from there.

As time wore on and Armin found out more and more about Jean, it felt like more than just a coincidence that they’d met there. When he thought about it later, he would almost say it felt like fate, that a single thread tied them together and got shorter and shorter as the days went by, until it was finally small enough that they had no choice but to run into each other. That was fine in his opinion, given how much he really did find he liked Jean, and wondered if that little string would be strong enough to bind them in each other’s lives forever.

#jearmin #jearmin week 2021 #katie's writing #twoboysonesoul

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katiebug445 · 4 years

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A Perfect Valentine

Written for Jearmintine’s Day 2021

@twoboys-onesoul

Armin stood in front of the mirror in his room, blushing from the tips of his ears down to his neck, looking over his body and feeling like he was making a huge mistake. He and Jean had agreed, as their first Valentine’s Day spent together, that they wanted to try to do something intimate. Not ready to take that crucial step in their relationship, they worked backwards on what both of them would be comfortable doing. What they decided was to take a bath together, trunks on.

He could hear Jean downstairs getting things ready for them in the kitchen, and he knew he had to get a move on because Jean would be up soon to change, but part of him was afraid of what he would think of him. They’d seen each other shirtless before, but never like this, never when that was the main point, and he worried that his boyfriend’s opinion of him would change and he would be grossed out or turned off, or-

Breathe, Armin, he told himself, turning away from the mirror and gathering up his things so he could go get the bath ready for them. “Jean? I’m out!” He called, slipping down the hall to his small bathroom and shutting the door behind him. Taking another breath, Armin reached into one of the bags and pulled out a few candles and a lighter, setting them up around the room in places they weren’t in danger of getting burned or lighting something on fire, followed by a bottle of bubble bath, and fake rose petals. It was over the top and he knew it, but it wasn’t often he got to spend his first Valentine’s Day with someone.

Armin filled the tub and got the bubbles going, scattering the petals all over the room and in the water as well. He pulled a playlist they’d made together up on his phone and let it play, blushing as he sat down on the toilet while he waited.

A few moments later, he heard a knock on the door, and Jean nervously opened it with his eyes closed. “Is everything good in here?” He asked, stepping inside.

Seeing him like that brought a smile out of Armin and he felt himself relaxing the tiniest bit. “It’s good. You don’t have to keep your eyes closed.” He said, offering a smile when Jean’s hazel eyes opened and seemed to almost glow in the light of the candles. He looked up at him for just a few seconds, breathless, and nervously reached out his hand for his boyfriend to take, and pulled him a little deeper into the room. “Did you get everything?”

Jean held up a bag of his own and shot Armin a little grin, and set it down on the sink so they could look through it. He pulled out two different boxes of chocolate, one dark and the other a big box of thin mints, which made Armin smile even more. “You remembered.” He murmured, touched that Jean paid attention. “Duh.” Jean snorted, pouring them both a glass of champagne and setting them down for a moment. “I remember everything you ramble about liking.” He said affectionately. “Now, how are we doing this?”

Armin looked between Jean and the tub, wondering himself how they were going to pull this off with Jean being so tall, and pursed his lips. “Why don’t you get in first?” He suggested. “Get, um, get as comfortable as you can, then I’ll try it.”

“Okay, boss.” Jean chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of Armin’s head as he walked passed him, and lowered himself into the tub, sliding down low into the water and trying to get situated. It was much harder than he’d anticipated, over half of his legs sticking out of the water if he tried to get himself to fit in a way that Armin could, too. Jean tried for a few more seconds, trying different positions, but nothing was making things any better, and frustrated, he pouted up at the blonde and let out a huff.

Armin watched him in amusement, carefully opening the pack of thin mints and popping one into his mouth, laughing around it as he waited for Jean to get ready. “Everything okay?”

“Just get over here.” He said, his lip jutting out so far that Armin just wanted to kiss it. He brought all of their things over and set them down where they could reach them, and stepped into the tub, barely having room to even put his feet with Jean’s legs curled up in the basin.

“Are you going to be comfortable?” He asked, a little worried for him as he sat down. It was a tight fit, and scooting back as far as he could to give Jean more room wasn’t an option. Armin felt the cold metal of the tap pressing into his back and yelped, not expecting the chill.

“Maybe if I just…” Jean grunted, moving his leg around and bending it even more, to the point Armin knew it had to be uncomfortable for him. When that didn’t work, he sat up move, giving them both a tiny bit more room, but still not comfortable by any means.

Armin giggled to himself while Jean tried to get moved around, and laid his hand on his leg after a moment when he tried to move it around again. “Hold on.” He said, getting back up.

“Where are you going?” Jean asked, reaching for Armin’s hand so he didn’t leave.

“Let me get in first.” Armin suggested, stepping out of the tub and feeling the bubbles sliding down his body. “Maybe that’ll be a bit easier.

Jean agreed and climbed out of the tub himself, shuffling around so they could switch positions, and Armin sank down into the soapy water. He let out a contented sigh and just let the warm water relax him for a moment before trying to move. Once he had himself situated, he nodded up at Jean so he could get in, too. Again, the taller man lowered himself into the water, sitting on Armin’s legs as his own rested on his thighs. They sat there for a moment, looking at each other, and Jean shook his head. “This is really uncomfortable. Has anyone told you that you have really bony knees?”

Armin snorted loud, having not expected that, and dissolved into another giggle fit as Jean pouted more and more. He had just calmed down a bit when he looked up at him and saw his boyfriend looking incredibly grumpy, and that set him off again. “I’m sorry!” He gasped, not wanting him to get angry. “You’re just cute when you’re grumpy!”

Hearing that only made Jean sulk more, and he did his best to move around a bit so his weight wasn’t totally resting on Armin. He pushed his foot up onto the back of the tub, lifting himself a bit while Armin slid his legs to the side, and almost slipped as he held himself there. “Fuck! You need a bigger tub!” He exclaimed, sounding upset but Armin knew there wasn’t real heat behind his words.

“Jean!” Armin laughed, feeling himself going into a mood. “Can you just… lift your leg out?”

Jean tried, throwing his leg up over the side of the tub a bit too fast, and before either of them knew what was happening, the glasses of champagne were hit and fell to the floor with a clatter, spilling their contents all over the floor. Jean groaned, angry and frustrated with himself, but Armin just laughed harder.

“What’s so funny about this?” Jean asked, flustered and embarrassed.

“I don’t know!” Armin cackled, laying his hand gently on the leg that was on the rim of the tub. “I don’t know, just how impossible this is, it’s killing me.” He leaned forward, his head resting on Jean’s chest, and his shoulders shook hard with his amusement. “I love you.”

Hearing Armin so giddy finally broke through Jean’s attitude, and he found himself laughing right along with him in spite of everything. As long as Armin wasn’t angry, he supposed it was alright. He pressed a kiss to the top of Armin’s head again and wrapped his arms around him, holding him close until they managed to calm down. “This is really nice.” He said after awhile. “You did a good job making this feel romantic. Sorry for killing the mood.”

“You didn’t kill the mood.” Armin promised, reaching up and laying a gentle hand on the other man’s cheek, brushing his thumb softly over the skin. “I wouldn’t change anything about how it’s gone. This has been perfect.”

“Even the spilled champagne?”

“...Maybe the spilled champagne.”

Jean snorted, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Armin’s nose, and hummed as he pulled back. “I love you, too, you know?”

“I do.” Armin promised.

“Why don’t we try one more thing?” Jean said, getting up and stepping out of the tub for a second. “Scoot all the way back.” He said, waiting for a second before sitting back down, his back pressed against Armin’s chest, and got himself settled in, more comfortable than he was before. “Is this okay for you?”

In response, Armin slipped his arms around Jean’s middle and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. He laid his head on his chin when he was finished up, and let himself smile at how nice it was to hold Jean like this. “It’s perfect.” He murmured, content with staying there for the rest of the night. Jean was warm, and solid, and things like this always reminded him why he loved him so, so much. Jean always was able to make him laugh and feel better even when things were going wrong, and sometimes, at his boyfriend’s expense. But as long as Jean ended up laughing, too, everything was okay.

“This is perfect.” Armin hummed after a little while.

“I didn’t ruin Valentine’s Day?”

“No. Not at all!” Armin insisted. “You’ve been the most perfect Valentine I’ve ever had.”

“Me too.” Jean breathed, leaning his head back on Armin’s shoulder and kissing his neck softly. “I love you, Armin.”

“I love you too, Jean.”

#jearmintine's day 2021 #katie's writing #jearmin #jean x armin #arujean #twoboysonesoul

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