I Got You (Book Three)

It Feels So Good

Armin awoke the next morning. Feeling empty yet, different. Anew? Maybe. He looked at the spot next to him to see the figure there.

"Tess," he shook her shoulder and leaned over to see her orange hair moving as she woke from her slumber. "Good morning."

The ginger smiled, bringing a hand to his face. "Hey. Did you sleep well?"

"Better than ever."

Tess stares at his face, just noticing the stubble, nearly becoming a beard was growing. His features were chiseled and manly. The sparkling blue eyes, now full.

"I was worried about you last night. Did everything go well?" She asked hesitantly.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it, "Yeah. It feels so good to move on."

"That's nice to hear Armin."

Two cries were heard from across the hall and the couple sat up on the bed.

Armin stood up first and tied up his long hair, "I got this. You want to start breakfast?"

"Yeah. Pancakes sound good?" Tess asked while putting a robe on over her lingerie.

"Sounds great."

It felt like a dream to Armin, with all the years he spent trying to get Annie to enjoy this type of peace. He knew it wasn't possible to change her so, he waited and wanted nothing more than to hold her in the morning... to be around her.

The new world, or dream, he's apart of, felt surreal. Sometimes it felt too good to be true.

"Sweetie, Armin," a voice called from the hallway.

He then looked around to notice that he's been spacing out. "Oh... I'm sorry." Armin laughed with the spatula waving around, "You were saying?"

Tess blinked in confusion before replying, "-that we should take the babies swimming today?"

She placed them in their playpen and walked over to him.

"Tess, I know. I'm okay."

The ginger put her hand on his shoulder, "Okay.. How about I take them?"

Armin shook his head, " No. I'm sorry. I can come too."

She smiled, "I am taking them. You need to rest from work and also clear your mind, Armin."

He sighed, "Fine, you're right. There's too much going on in my mind."

His girlfriend was very understanding when he got like this, which he was thankful for. Now to spend the day thinking about what's been up with him.

. . .

Later that day, the afternoon sun was probably bathing his adoring twins while Armin sat in the dead living room. His long golden locks were never an annoyance to him until this hot day. 

"Annie would hate how long it's gotten- gah!" He slapped his forehead in hatred. "I have to stop. It's been two years. She's a thing of the past."

"Well, he is finally losing it."

"Geez!" Armin shot up to voice behind him. "Really, Eren!?"

Mikasa also stood next to him at the door before sitting next to Armin.

"Mikasa, you two need to start knocking."

She smiled, "Eren... you know he does what he wants.. to an extent."

Eren plopped himself right in between the two. "Armin, we've called this meeting today."

"...okay", Armin looked at both of these idiots. "Listen, I just took the day off to relax and everyone thinks that there is something severely wrong with me!"

Mikasa sighed, "We know that. And that you're still heartbroken about 'you know who' so, we are worried about you."

"I have Tess and... she's been more than great but," his voice faltered before continuing, "-something has been feeling off."

"Maybe it's just you. Or, when you got rid of your family antiques," Eren suggested. "Those were important to you."

Armin leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, "Materialistic things.."

Then, Mikasa spoke up, "You're happy but, not satisfied with who you're sharing it with?"

"Yeah. No... hmm. I'm sure this is just overthinking now."

This life seems too good to be true.