The sun had shifted by the time they made it back to the supply benches—lower now, lazier, casting that golden kind of glow Armin never said he liked, but always paused in. Dust floated through the air like ash, like snow, like time itself was slowing down for them to breathe a little.

Armin sat on the edge of the old wooden bench, sleeves rolled, polishing the rifle with calm, practiced motions. The cloth swept over the metal with steady rhythm—back and forth, like he was coaxing something kind out of it.

Eren leaned against the doorframe, a canteen in one hand, watching.

Quietly.

Unapologetically.

He offered the water wordlessly. Armin took it without looking up, murmuring a soft, “Thanks,” before setting it down untouched beside him.

“You’re staring again,” Armin said a few moments later, eyes still locked on the barrel.

Eren shrugged, lips twitching. “You always say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It’s weird during gun cleaning. Makes me nervous.” There was no heat behind it—just the kind of dry tease they’d passed between each other since they were twelve.

Eren stepped closer anyway, dragging a crate over with his boot to sit beside him.

“Wanna hear something weirder?” he said, voice lower now.

Armin hummed, still polishing. “Always.”

“I keep remembering you in the library. That time you fell asleep with your head on a book and your glasses crooked and I didn’t wanna wake you, so I just sat there.”

“I don’t wear glasses.”

Eren blinked. “You did for like, a week.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

Armin finally looked over. “They were Sasha’s reading glasses. I was proving a point.”

“Oh.” Eren leaned back, smiling faintly. “Still looked cute.”

Armin tried not to smile. Lost. “You’re impossible.”

“You’re perfect.”

The cloth paused in Armin’s hand. He glanced down, then up again.

“You waited again today,” he said.

“Yeah.”

“You always do.”

“Of course I do.”

Eren didn’t say because I love you or because the sound still makes your hands shake sometimes. He didn’t have to. Armin reached for the canteen. Sipped.

“…Thanks.”

Eren just leaned in slightly, shoulder brushing Armin’s, and murmured:

“Always.”