home away from home

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EACH CLOUD, A FLEETING masterpiece painted by the hand of nature, danced gracefully in the gentle breeze, casting ever-changing shadows upon the earth below. Some were fluffy and white, like cotton candy floating on a sea of azure, while others were dark and brooding, hinting at the promise of rain yet to come. As the sun peeked out from behind the billowing masses, its golden rays illuminated the edges of the clouds, turning them into a breathtaking display of color and light.

A delicate butterfly flies past the view. It was white with spots of black accenting it. The hand of a child reaches out in an attempt to grab it but it moves away.

Cloud watching was the only way anyone could enjoy the scenery without the walls in their field of vision.

"Are you listening?" filled with nervous anticipation, Armin, a blonde-haired boy with piercing blue eyes, mustered his courage to catch the attention of the girl whose eyes were stuck on the sky. Armin held his breath, praying that his efforts would not go unnoticed.

"Hm?" The ground below her head seems to feel harsher. The brunette girl, Juliet, takes her eyes off the sky to lift her head. She plants her hands on the ground behind her holding her up halfway. Her hair falls into its natural position, over her shoulders, and a few pieces frame her small face.

Her dark eyes meet his for a moment, "Sorry, Armin. Read it again? I swear I'll listen this time." She asks with a tilt of her head and a certain sparkle in her eye.

He lets out a small gasp accompanied by a red tint covering his cheeks, "Y–yeah, okay." That nervousness he always felt around her came back. And so he averts his eyes right back to the book sitting on his lap.

"The sea is not only a breathtaking sight but also a cradle of life..." And he continues, this time taking a few glances from the corner of his eye to see if she's paying attention. She was.

To prove it, she rested her head on his shoulder, making sure to keep her eyes on the words in front of her. She was following along with her eyes. Though, some words were too immense and made it harder for her to read.

Armin, feeling her head rest on her, flitched but soon settled down to continue reading. His voice had gotten a bit shakier though.

Leon, the girls' father, had gone into town to buy a few things in a rush. Juliet tagged along only to ask to be left by the prairie as soon as she saw that familiar blonde boy sitting by the river with a book on his lap. Her father hesitated to agree but did in the end. Whatever he needed from town took more importance than the decision he made at the time.

Plus he was pretty fond of the blonde boy.

Waiting for him was taking longer than it usually takes. Her eyes averted towards the direction he went to look out for his return. Juliet's worry makes her cut Armin's reading off, "Hey...I'll be right back. Keep reading, don't wait for me!"

judas | armin arlertWhere stories live. Discover now