Armin and Annie

Armin's POV

Today's our first day back from the trip, and today was the free day. Eren and Mikasa were sleeping in... and I was too hyper. Grandpa was working today as well... so that only left... Annie.

Picking up my cell phone, I hoped it wasn't too early, or that Annie was sleeping when I called. Hearing it ring 2 times, I sighed... maybe she was sleeping in as well- "Hello?" Her voice comes through. "Armin?"

"Morning Annie..."

She chuckles softly, "Morning, cutie..." Blushing, she only calls me that to make me blush. Mostly, she would call me that because I look cuter when I'm blushing. "So... why are you calling me on this early Monday morning?"

"I-I was wondering... m-maybe we should hang out together..."

"Oh, a date?"

"W-Wherever you want to go, Annie. The places that you choose are amazing, and I wouldn't mind going to a different place... as long as you're happy on the date... that's what matters to me."

Behind that phone, I could see her face, clearly. Her fingers twiddling with the crystal on her necklace and smiling softly. She takes a deep breath, and says a destination. "Wanna come with me to the Fairy Forest?"

"Forgive me for asking... but where is that?"

She laughs, "One of my favorite place to go... it's up on the mountain... but pretty low, okay? It's high enough that you can see the city from there... but low where we don't have to drive far... and we should go at 6-"

"Well, it's 10 right now... what are we gonna do for 8 hours?"

"I have some lessons to attend to, for martial arts. That would take... oh, at least 3 hours. For 2 hours, I need a nap, leaving me 3 hours to kill. Maybe we can spend those 3 hours together..."

"Why not? With that in mind... I only got 5 hours to spare... I might just hang out at a bookstore-"

"And what? Study?"

"Uh... yeah..."

She scoffs, "Armin, you gotta rest that pretty brain of yours, understand?" Her voice became panicky and that I knew she was gonna be worried. "Keep working that brain... and you'll kill it before our mid-terms. Calm down, okay?"

"Heh... I'll only spend an hour or two studying... and maybe, I'll hang out with Eren and Mikasa until you're done. With them, I would definitely lose track of time..."

"So yeah... I should be at my house around 3. We can take a bus to a cafe or to a mall, what do you say? It's a date?"

Smiling, I know she wouldn't see it... but a part of me thought that she knew I was. "Yes, Annie. It's a date."

*   *   *

"Thank you, Ms. Carla... for dropping us off at her house." I thanked Eren's mother as I got off to get Annie. Eren and Mikasa were sitting in the back. I just came from their house, and Ms. Carla made plans to head over to the mall.

She smiles, "Now Armin... if you want, I can drop you guys off at the mall. I wouldn't mind an extra person, since we're all going to the same place."

"But... we're planning to go to the Fairy Forest-"

"I can pay your bus fare. And please, feel free to stay at our house, Armin. I mean it. I'm sure you can keep Eren busy for awhile as Mikasa's helping me with some other chores."

Eren stands up, but the seat belt held him back. "Mom! I'm not a toddler anymore! I can keep myself entertained for a couple minutes! I don't need a babysitter!" Then, he turns to me, his personality quickly shifting. "Like Mom said, you can stay- we can play this video game!"

"Sure... lemme make sure Annie's okay..."

"Good luck!" Eren shouts as I head over to Annie's front door.

It seemed... empty. A lonely car in the driveway, and the grass was mowed recently. Going up to the door... it felt... abnormal. Not to mention that there was no dogs anywhere... and that this neighborhood was quiet... not a soul in sight. Me... I was an outsider... I didn't belong here...

Gulping my fear down, I couldn't let Annie down... not this time. "Annie?" I asked, knocking on the door. "Annie, it's me... Armin."

There was some grunting noise before the door opened. An elderly man with a cane leaned against the door frame as he opened it. "Armin... you ask for my daughter?"

Nodding, I couldn't hide it from her own father. "Yes. You see... I'm her boyfriend... and I'm taking her out on a date today."

"Ah... I see..." He turns to the empty house, shouting. "Annie! Your boyfriend's here!"

Immediately, I hear footsteps. Annie steps into view of the empty hallway. She wore a long sleeved light blue shirt and long black pants. She carried a small bag on her arm; when she caught my glimpse, she smiles. "Armin..." Was all she said as she walked over.

Her father grunts, "You never told me about a boyfriend-"

"Why should you know about my personal school life? Besides... Armin's a pretty cool guy... not like you would understand, Father."

"Have fun... I guess."

*   *   *

After 3 hours at the mall, Ms. Carla promised us that she would buy us tickets to the Fairy Forest... and she did. It was a long half an hour ride up there... but we managed to make time fly. We talked and talked about our day... how Annie's training was, and what I did with Eren and Mikasa.

But the most beautiful part was when the sun was starting to set; orange and gold colors were high in the sky, with the black sky chasing after it with it's army of stars. The moon was behind the mountain, but the bright glow of the crescent moon was there.

Annie and I... we held hands as we walked through the forest... which was a beautiful sight. The trees were almost bare... on the ground, there were brown leaves, with a hint of red, orange, and gold. Winter was coming...

Throughout the trees, there were these balls of light... hopefully, we can make our own lanterns and light it up. To hang them in the trees, to be lit over and over, everyday until they break.

*   *   *

"Annie... what do you think of my lantern?" I asked, holding up a light blue lantern that had the Japanese symbol of the ocean.

She looks, smiling. "Wow... it's way better than mine..." She holds her up. A beautiful lavender colored lantern was almost falling apart... where she wrote the Japanese character of crystal, the paper was torn. My guess... she was pushing to hard against the paper.

"It looks beautiful, whether or not it doesn't look as perfect as it should be, Annie. Now... we should light them up, right?"

"Yeah... you're right..."

*   *   *

Annie's POV

"There..." I pointed to a spot by a bench that overlooked the city. No one dared to put their lanterns near the bench... but... when I look up to the Fairy Forest, I would always see our lanterns...

"Alright..." 

Using string, we hung our lanterns on different trees, but on branches near each other. Sitting on the bench to admire our handwork, Armin was right about one thing... if it doesn't look perfect doesn't mean it's not beautiful. The light gave the lanterns a feeling of... goddess-like.

I leaned on Armin's shoulder; he pulls me close. "Annie... I don't want this memory to disappear..." He says, whispering as he kisses my cheek. "I loved coming up here... making this lantern with you- I loved it..."

"All this time... when I come up here... I always been alone... but now... with you, this memory will never fade away from me."

"Y-You think?"

Nodding, I nuzzled my head, "Yeah. I know that I forgot many useless things... but this memory... it feels that it's been burned into my head. I'm think when I fall asleep tonight, I will see this... in my dreams."

"Well, I have the same feeling as well, Annie..."

"I love you... Armin, though you can be a bit irritating when you think yourself as a weakling or a useless person. Because, you're not. Trust me. I think you're a strong young man and that he's hiding his true talents because of doubt. Don't hold back... and I mean it, Armin."

He nods, "Heh... I love you too, Annie..."