Chapter 5: Misstep (NSFW)
'She used the word "breed"...' You shut your eyes tightly in discomfort at Yelena's words as you made your way out of Headquarters and towards the Scout lodgings. 'But... she's kind of right. That would be my ultimate goal if we had time. I mean... would having an heir of my own take the pressure off Chri- er Historia?' The mental image of a tiny Armin delighted you and brought a smile to your face. You pictured him digging in the sand, fluffy gold hair bouncing in the sunlight, bringing back a variety of seashells and mollusks to your home near the port, and talking with words much too big for his age. Armin could easily leave a legacy, a little piece of himself to carry you through the rest of your days. Yelena was brash and tactless- and quite possibly your mortal enemy- but boy, her assessment was spot on.
She had also said that Historia was miserable, stuck producing heirs, away from all the action. Would she be happier in your position, and you in hers? 'If that's the idea that Yelena was trying to implant in me with that letter... I'm kind of okay with it...' Of course, there had to be a catch lying dormant in the water, one that was still unspoken. There always was. But then, perhaps you would agree to it if it were reasonable. Perhaps even Armin would too, depending on the circumstances.
The sweet lingering kiss you shared earlier was called to mind and you sighed. Good heavens, you loved Armin to pieces. Maybe Yelena was just trying to help you get what you wanted. Armin would never agree to starting a family he couldn't secure a future for just because you asked him to, so Yelena provided the crucial missing puzzle piece: political leverage. A way to not only preserve his memory, but an important bloodline as well. A means to love more than a term's worth...
You felt the heat of opportunity blazing through you, making your fingertips tingle, as you raised your hand to the wooden door. If you dared to bring the topic up again, what would he say?
KNOCK KNOCK
"It's me, Armin." You hollered through the door.
"It's unlocked." He called back, just loud enough for you to hear. When you walked in he was sitting in front of his desk, reading, as expected. He turned to smile politely at you. "How was work?"
"Not too bad." You shrugged and made your way over to him, wrapping your arms around his neck from behind. He cradled your face and held it in place for a chaste kiss to your cheek.
"You know... we haven't had as much time to talk recently... which is probably entirely my fault." He pulled back to flash you a squiggled guilty half-smile, an expression only Armin was capable of making. "But I've been meaning to ask you... Is something bothering you?" You anticipated he would notice; you knew better than to underestimate his mental acuity. Luckily a witty retort sprung to your mind to save you.
"Yeah, but it's fine. I had a chat with a very large block of ice and feel better." You teased with a proud smirk. Armin didn't smile; he was never much for humor. Instead his lips curled slightly, more of a thoughtful pout than an irritated scowl.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"But you know I wouldn't want to burden you." You nudged him playfully and at last his stoicism broke.
"Okay, I get it. I promise to be more open with you in the future. ...I guess being secretive worried you more than my actual problems would have."
"Obviously." You crossed your arms indignantly.
"I'm sorry." He replied in earnest. It actually made you feel remarkably scummy. Here he was apologizing for being overwhelmed when you had overtly been skulking around HQ in a manner not unlike vermin. You frowned and sat on his bed, patting the space in front of you until he followed suit.
YOU ARE READING
Free Will: An Armin/Reader Story
Fanfiction[Mature] A grave military secret has been thrust upon you. But how can you confide in your beloved when his mind has been entangled with another? What measures will you take to drown the sorrows of your estranged relationship? (It's not as if you ca...
