Valedictorian | Armin Arlert

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The alluring scent of butter lingered in the tinted atmosphere of the cinema The cinema had a thinning and short cut burgundy shag to it, almost like it should've been a roller-skating rink rather than a movie theatre. The lights were a comforting yellow tint, matching the backdrop of the concession menu.

Whether you would even watch a movie tonight became less and less certain because you and Armin just couldn't seem to agree on a movie. Obviously neither of you would even think about considering a romance. Not only would it be inappropriate but usually romances weren't good cinematography anyway.

"I forgot how expensive this is." Armin's eyes wandered the board.

Armin swallowed a rock in this throat as he looked at the ticket prices. A bored attendant patiently slouched in the booth in front of you. "Tickets for romance movies are on sale."

You didn't even look at each other when they said that.

Luckily, the two of you settled on a generic science fiction movie. It was the cheapest movie for two platonic high schoolers who didn't spend most of their time employed. Plus, who doesn't love pointing out the blatant mistakes that defy physics chemistry, and thermodynamics?

Armin tried not to complain about the prices further as he shifted from one foot to another. He jokingly quipped, "They want people to buy this, right?"

You nodded in agreement. You could tell he was trying to lighten the mood but there was a layer of truth to his words.

"I guess we can get popcorn," you said, looking up at the choices. It occurred to you the ethics behind an orphan paying for his own food. Armin mischievously glanced at you, pretending not to hear you. It was awkward enough to realize he was broke, but even suggesting you, his rival of all people, to pay was stomach-churning for him. Nevertheless, his disquieted disposition was amusing to you. You cleared your throat, "I said-"

"-I mean..." he interrupted and then trailed off.

"What was that?" You leaned in.

"...if... you insist..."

A smirk sprouted on your lips and you bobbed your head. "Oh, Arlert."

The cost of theatre concessions could bankrupt Bezos, you swore. Armin helped you carry popcorn to the theatre as you assessed the best place to sit.

"Let's sit in the first row," Armin suggested.

You rose a brow, "No way, the very top row."

"That's dumb, then the picture is smaller," he argued.

"Well if we sit in the first row, our field of vision is smaller. Plus, we don't have to risk getting stuck behind a human giraffe."

"We won't have that problem if we sit in the front."

You paused, looking at the front row and the last one. Playing this card was dirty and it was just a shitty movie but everything seemed to be a competition with him. "I bought the food."

The two of you sat side by side in the back of the theatre. He complied instantly, which wasn't exactly what you expected but it wasn't unusual considering how polite Armin seemed to be all the time.

The screen stopped its obnoxious previews and advertisements. Of course, the setting took place in the middle of Nowhere, Outer Space. Armin leaned in, his breath caressing your cheek. It would've been attractive if he wasn't scolding the structure of the spacecraft.

"There's no way that thing travels at speeds faster than light and doesn't crumble into fragments." He whispered.

You smiled. When his head returned back to the screen a scene played when a character returned to their home planet, the character brought their family into an embrace. You and Armin scoffed, almost telepathically noting the time relativity. Your eyes met his and they rolled in sync.

It felt just like it did in the library or like it did at school. Some of the people who wrote the movie were complete idiots and the only one who understood it was you and Armin.

The whole movie was a mistake and you related with that. Getting this close to him was an accident and maybe, it is most likely that you'd have been better off just hating him. But he was exactly the sugar you'd been craving.

"I counted seven mistakes that would ruin the whole movie." He said as the movie began wrapping up.

"Only seven?" You scoffed. "Second place, once again."

You grinned as the movie came to it's resolution. Before you knew it, the credits rolled and without thinking, you blurted the most horrendous, embarrassing words you could have said in that moment. "Armin?"

"Mhm?"

"Are you really, actually happy with her." You slapped your hand over your mouth, not retracting the question out of curiosity.

Armin didn't react how you expected. His head slowly turned to see you. Clear in his vision, his pupils dilated two-fold. Nevertheless, his face seemed serious and a little agitated, his eye twitched and his lips trembled. "Happy... (Y/N)... sure."

Your heart seemed to plummet from the highest point. It made you feel guilty because you had no right to feel that way. "Well, that's g-"

"-But- I meant what I said about you and Emilia, you know." He looked at you dead in the eyes, "but... she doesn't make it hard. She makes me feel... worthy, I guess?"

"Armin..."

"C'mon we should get out of here anyway," said Armin, trying to lighten the mood. You may have been asking why he was so serious. It was a yes or no question, but he was truly telling the truth. There was nothing else to say. Except there was more he wanted you to know.

In the lobby, you stood alone, waiting for Armin. He excused himself to the restroom shortly after you exited the theatre. Only he was taking what felt like years to get out.

"God," you tapped your foot, "what's taking him so long." You wandered the halls of the cinema, stumbling over several people who left a theatre sobbing. Others left stunned and some left excited.

Overall, the cinema was rather empty. As movies began wrapping up, you guessed that it was getting close to closing.

The floor was littered and sprinkled lightly with popcorn. The scent of butter settled in the air but seemed to dissipate as you entered the bathroom. The walls were white and burgundy patterned. The sound of rushing water faintly covered the sound of brief, breathless gasping from inside one of the stalls. The sound was further buried under the sound of a hand dryer sounding and echoing through the room.

Whatever was going on in the bathroom, you knew you didn't want to be apart of. People seemed to be leaving the restroom and there were few left. He must be out by now, you assumed.

As you guessed, Armin was patiently waiting outside the men's room. He stood when he saw you, "sorry I took so lo-"

Armin froze, his eyes glossing over.

×××

Fun story:

So I was stuck at school for 21 hours this weekend because my school was hosting a show choir competition and I have certainly never been more exhausted in my life. I woke up at 4 am and didn't go to sleep until 2 am.

Honestly, this was sort of rushed. Sort of. I knew what was gonna happen but putting it in words was rushed.

I know you probably expected more lolll. I wasn't originally going to post but if I put it off it wouldn't get done and that wouldn't be very black history month of me- so here you go.

art creds: strawberry-macchiato on tumblr