Happy New Year, everybody! Yay, I'm finally writing again! Something with a lot of ships! *happy dance* Anyway, I'm in a mood for something musical, specifically The Beatles. Hey Jude's one of my favorite songs from them, and then I stumbled upon the movie Across the Universe. Haven't really watched it yet, just a clip from it, but I think it's awesome. An entire movie filled with Beatles songs? Awesome, man!

So, hope you like it! And I own none of the songs featured in this story.

It was a funny story, really, the conception of The Titans.

It was during their freshman year of high school, when Eren was still a sensitive and cocky little git, Reiner an even cockier giant git who believed that the football team was destined for him, Berthold an awkward but sweet fellow shadowing Reiner's back, and Ymir that tough biker chick who still hid in the closet despite everyone seeing that she has the hots for Historia Reiss. The four of them met in detention, when their gym teacher Coach Shadis ran into Eren and Reiner's duel to the death because the latter decided to check out the former's adopted sister, with Ymir at the sidelines cheering them on and Berthold attempting to break them up, but in vain. Annie was also there, watching the fight with interest but was smart enough to run when she spied Shadis heading towards the parking lot.

On that fateful Friday afternoon, while everyone else has gone home, the four of them stayed after classes to clean the music room. At first, neither of them spoke to each other, except for the occasional question of where should they put this, or how to open that instrument case, so on and so forth. It wasn't until Ymir decided to tune a guitar and practice out some chords when Eren said, "Oh, so you play too?"

Without looking up from the guitar, she answered, "Yeah, sometimes. Haven't been practicing much, though. Had to sell one of my guitars to buy that baby I wanted." She meant her bike, of course.

"So, you play electric or acoustic?"

"Electric and acoustic."

Reiner listened on as the two began chatting about the pros and cons of this brand of guitar, of what styles of plucking was best for this song, the chords and variations of playing for that song, and other guitar lingo that he vaguely understood. He glanced at Berthold, who was cleaning a flute with a towel and seems to be lost in thought. He knew, of course, that the guy was listening too, but is just too shy to join in the conversation.

Without making a second thought, Reiner piped in, "Hey, I have a question." Eren and Ymir paused their conversation to listen to the other guy's thoughts. "So a long time ago, my dad bought me a bass guitar for my birthday. Bad thing is, I don't know how to play bass, and I have no intention whatsoever in playing. So, either of you interested in buying it?"

The two simultaneously shook their head, as they explained to him that neither of them knew how to play bass. Reiner groaned and told them that it's too bad, since the instrument's just stuck in his closet collecting dust, when suddenly Berthold asked the price he's willing to sell it for.

"Um, not sure yet. Maybe for a few hundred bucks? Why, you interested?"

Berthold blushed and began to stammer. "W-w-well, yeah, I guess. M-m-my parents won't let me buy a brand new one 'cuz I splurged on a new keyboard last month, a-a-and I saw in some forums that a secondhand guitar is alright for beginners." He put the gleaming flute back in its case. "Not that I'm a beginner anymore, though."

"Huh, never thought that you were the musical type," Eren commented. Berthold blushed an even deeper shade of red. Ymir nodded in agreement.

"So what about you Braun?" She turned to the bulky blond. "Jaeger and I have our guitars, and Hoover here has his keyboard and bass, which is also a guitar, and he'll have yours."

Reiner beamed. "Me? Well, not that I'm bragging, but I'm pretty sick with 'em drums." He tapped at the snare drum by his feet. "That's what I wanted for my 13th birthday back then, but I got that bass. My cousin taught me over the summer, and when he heard that dad bought the wrong instrument he gave me his old set."

The four began to talk animatedly about music, enjoying their conversation so much that they didn't realize that they had already finished their job and are free to go home. As the sun began to set out on the horizon, casting long shadows in the parking lot, Eren suggested that the four of them play together sometime. Ymir wholeheartedly agreed, seeing as she can finally share her rockin' guitar skills again, Berthold said that he's game once he and Reiner settle a fair price on the bass, and Reiner offered that they could play in his garage.

Sounds like The Breakfast Club, eh?

But that's the way it is, and the four of them stuck together like glue the moment they set up their equipment at Reiner's house a week later and began to play their first song together, The White Stripe's Seven Nation Army, with Eren on vocals, Ymir on guitar, Berthold on bass and Reiner on drums, which, coincidentally, everyone knew how to play. The group, pleased with how they sounded, immediately gave a name to their newfound band. As if hearing each other's thoughts, they agreed to the first name that ever crossed their minds:

The Titans.

Now, three years after the band began, they decided to celebrate their third anniversary with a gig at one of their school's alumni's bar, The 104. Eren's adopted sister and newfound girlfriend, Mikasa, found herself being related to the famed Levi Ackerman, who graduated St. Rose High a long time ago. Her long-lost cousin (actually first cousin once removed, but who's asking for the specifics?) co-owns The 104, and she asked him (or rather, out-bitched him) to let her boyfriend's band play, despite being minors and still in high school.

"Alright," he said, glaring at his cousin and her stupid brother-slash-boyfriend's band behind her (Seriously? Who the heck dates their adopted sibling?). "But if someone reports this to the police, I'm killing you all, Titans."

After finally settling on a date, time, and pay ("No wonder Levi and Mikasa are related," Reiner whispered to Eren as they watched their manager of sorts argue with her cousin for a fair price), the band invited all their friends to watch them play.

It was an enjoyable night for everyone. The Titans are finally playing at a real bar! They're finally drinking alcohol at a place where they don't have to put out a fake ID! Sasha and Connie, to the surprise of everyone, broke away from the group and got a table for themselves. Everyone teased them for using the band's performance as an excuse for having a date, making Connie blush a deep scarlet and Sasha laugh half-heartedly. Mina, without the usual companionship of her friend Annie, was lucky enough to be flirting with some college guy by the drinks bar. Historia and Marco found themselves having a high tolerance to alcohol, while an unlucky Jean found himself already tipsy after a few glasses of piña colada.

None of the patrons in the bar ever caught on that a lot of the people attending were high school students, and that the band performing was a high school band. In everyone else's eyes, they were just a regular bunch of college students who actually sounded good. Levi told the employees to keep their mouths shut and made sure his co-owners did not visit the bar on that night. He himself was at the bar, keeping watch on them from the VIP floor and making sure that none of these stupid kids make any trouble, and hey, they don't really sound that all bad anyway.

Well, it was an enjoyable event for everyone else, except for one person, that is.

In between sets, Eren would glance at the table where his best friends sat. Mikasa was being Mikasa, smiling at him and mouthing him praises. A drunk Jean was busy flirting with a still sober Marco, who doesn't really know if he should be flattered or weirded out by his friend's affections. And Armin, poor Armin… He looks like a puppy standing outside in the pouring rain, absentmindedly staring at his drink and occasionally glancing at the entrance. Eren thought that he was just nervous; after all, it's his first time at a bar and he didn't exactly tell his grandpa where he went.

So after a quick break, the brunet made his way towards their table where he was greeted by Mikasa with a kiss to the cheek. "You did well Eren," she said, pulling him a chair beside her. He sat down and drank his bottled water in just a few mouthfuls, placing an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders and motioned to his gloomy friend beside him. He barely even acknowledged Eren when he sat down at the table. Taking the hint, Mikasa whispered in his ear, "It's Annie."

Ah, Annie Lenonhart. The school's resident ice queen, Mikasa's number one rival in everything, Reiner and Berthold's closest female friend, and Armin Arlert's first love. But alas, that love is unrequited, and after two years of pining for her, Annie still sees him as a friend. No one really knows for sure when the two of them had become close, but one thing for sure is that they first met at music class, which none of his friends shared with him.

That music room sure does wonders, doesn't it?

Since then, Armin has been sneaking off from his friends to hang out with her, and slowly, he fell in love with the girl. One time, Eren complained to him that he misses his company, and the boy confessed to his best friend of his love predicament. So Eren's solution? Invite her in their social circle, since Reiner and Berthold also her friends and they're in the group. To everyone's surprise, she did accept the offer, and the formerly loner girl got herself a few more friends, and Armin found it easier to stare longingly at her now that she's always within reach.

But Armin could only hope that one day, he's going to ask her out on a date. Poor guy. It's already been two years, and he still hasn't asked her out. Eren had the guts to actually ask Mikasa out, and the girl is his adopted sister who has been sending him mixed signals for the past five years. Ymir and Historia are now together, to the surprise of no one. Reiner and Berthold seem to be in a mutual understanding with each other, and Jean's finally come to realize his feelings for Marco. Mina's having her luck with that guy at the back who actually seems to be a nice fellow, and Connie and Sasha…well, those two are just too oblivious to know that they're subconsciously acting upon their feelings for each other.

"I heard Mina say that Annie's running a little late. Armin's pretty jacked up waiting for her." Mikasa snuck a peek at her blond friend before she continued. "He was too nervous to invite her himself, so he let Reiner and Bert do it for him. Told me that he's gonna make his move tonight. Now or never, I guess."

"Yeah, know right? I mean, in a few months we're graduating, and he still has not make a move on her. I know that they're going to the same college, but it's gonna be a lot harder for him to ask her there." Eren drank a few sips of Mikasa's drink after he saw that his water's already gone. Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he added, "I mean, he's known her since sophomore year, and if I recall correctly, he's liked her since sophomore year. It's been too long, far too long, man."

"You know, Eren, I could hear you from here."

Eren and Mikasa froze and stared at their friend, who was staring back at them with blank blue eyes. He sighed and managed to curl his lips into a small, bitter smile. "But thanks for your concern, guys. I appreciate it."

The Asian girl gently patted Armin's back and smiled back.

"I guess it's not meant to be, Annie and I," Armin muttered, stirring the straw of his untouched cocktail with his fingers. "She's the one that got away, I suppose. Guess that I should move on or something. Should've realized that I don't have a chance with her before I really fell."

The brunet winced at Armin's depressing tone. "What the heck, Armin? You're giving up on her?"

Armin grunted and stared absentmindedly stared at the instruments onstage.

"Seriously dude? She doesn't show up one time, and you're saying that you're done with her? Just like that?"

Armin didn't answer, still staring at the instruments. Mikasa rubbed soothing circles on the blond's back as she looked at her boyfriend, silently asking him what to do with her eyes.

Eren looked at both of them, at his girlfriend who doesn't know how to cheer her heartbroken friend up, and at his poor friend who's suffering with one-sided love. 'Oh love, why are you so hard on Armin?' he thought to himself, drumming his fingers on the wooden table as he racked his brain for something. And then, as quickly as Sasha could finish a large bag of Lays, he finally got an idea.

He stood up so suddenly that his chair almost tipped over, turned his back on his friends and declared, "Don't worry, Armin. You're gonna get better." Without waiting for their response, he marched right towards his bandmates, who were getting by the stage.

"So you're telling us that you're replacing Maroon 5 with…The Beatles?"

Eren nodded at Reiner, who had a puzzled expression on his face. Berthold stared at the set list on his hand, frowning at the sudden inclusion of a song, while Ymir leaned at the wall, sipping whiskey as she listened on.

"No, we're sticking with the plan, Jaeger," the bulky blond said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Animals is up next, then Radioactive, and, and…" He looked at his tall friend who has the master list.

"New Perspective," Berthold answered for him.

Reiner nodded and patted his bandmate's back. "See? Look at Bert. He knows how it's done, right bae? And Ymir too, I think." But neither of the two said anything (Berthold did cough once, though), so Reiner added, "We'll stick it in somewhere, someday, but not today, 'kay pal?"

As the drummer and the guitarist argued over the set list, Berthold fished his pocket for his phone, which was vibrating for a few times in between songs a while ago. Unlocking the screen, he noticed that his mom texted him a few times, asking him what time he'll be back home. Scrolling down his parent's texts, he found Annie's message to him, telling him that she might not make it to the gig because she had to run some errands for her dad. The guy put two and two together and loudly exclaimed, "Oh, I see!"

Eren and Reiner stopped arguing, and Ymir left her glass hovering above her lips. "It's Annie, isn't it? Annie and Armin?"

Armin's crush on the quiet and petite blonde was an open secret for the group; Annie herself probably being the only one oblivious to the boy's attentions.

"Armin must've found out that she's not coming, and you want to cheer him up with a song. Right, Eren?"

"Phew, thank God someone understands." The shorter brunet wiped the sweat on his forehead with a towel as he looked behind his shoulder to check up on his friends.

"But why The Beatles?" asks Reiner, who's eyebrows are still knotted in confusion.

Eren shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I heard Hey Jude is a classic 'cheer up a heartbroken guy' song, and Armin loves The Beatles, so…"

"But do you know how to play?"

Eren held out his cellphone, which shows a webpage with the lyrics to the song. Reiner laughed at his friend's plans, admiring the guy's efforts to cheer up his gloomy friend. "Do they know how to play?" Sure he could easily follow to the song's beat, but he's not sure about his other bandmates…

"Don't worry about me," Berthold chimed in. "I'll do something about it." With the bassist's assurance, everyone now turned to Ymir, who finished the rest of her whiskey with one gulp. She smirked at the three of them and gave a thumbs up sign.

"Are you kidding me? My dad and I used to jam to The Beatles when I was younger!" In the dim lights, none of them could quite see the blush forming on her face. "And besides, Historia likes 'em too."

"So it's settled then? We're playing it?" Eren hopefully asked, which was answered by a solid pat on the back by Reiner. Dammit, he almost forgot how strong Reiner is, since he's a linebacker and all that.

"Anything to help out a friend, dude. Especially when it comes to loove."

The entire bar exploded in cheers once The Titans returned center stage. Their friends were the loudest of them all, with Sasha and Connie's voices topping everyone else's. The band swelled with pride as they settled into their positions. Reiner sat behind the drum set, Berthold switched to an electric keyboard (thank God he knows the basic chords!), and Eren sat into the guitarist's seat but did not pick up his instrument.

Ymir went up to the mic and thanked them all for waiting. Since she's the only female member, it was a unanimous decision that she should headline the band, however all of them take turns singing lead once in a while.

"Anyway," she said, waiting for the hollers to die down. "I'm getting tired of singing all evening long." Everyone loudly whined while the girl simply smirked, slowly walking around the stage. "So I guess I'll give the mic to…" She stopped in front of Eren and handed him the mic. The patrons erupted into cheers again, since they have yet to hear the lead guitarist sing.

Eren tried to hide the wide smile forming on his lips as he sat in front of the mic stand, especially when his friends, led by Mikasa, began to cheer "Eren! Eren! Eren!". Armin looked up at him with his sad eyes, and he merely gave him an even wider smile. He nodded when Ymir finished plugging the amp on the acoustic guitar in her arms and began strumming a few test notes.

"Hehe, thanks guys," he said, and at the sound of his voice the cheers faded into the background. "Wow, I'm finally singing lead, eh? Now, all those days singing in the shower finally pays off."

Laughter filled the bar, and a plastered Jean yelled "Good one!"

Eren smiled again. "This song that I'm gonna sing, it's a classic, you know? It's the kind of song that everyone knows the words to, even if they deny liking it." He smirked as he saw Armin look at him with interest. "This song is an odd one out of all the songs we've ever played over the past three years; probably the oldest one we've ever played, if I'm not mistaken. But hey, music is timeless, am I right?"

Everyone hollered and clapped at his wise words. "So, hope you guys like it." Eren signaled at his bandmates to get ready, then, staring into his friend's sad eyes, he added, "I'd like to dedicate this song to everybody in this room tonight. To everybody who has ever experienced falling in love."

His friend's eyes widened into the size of saucers as his other friends clapped and hollered. A blush crept on his face as his best friend onstage wink at him and say, "Hope you get the girl someday, Armin."

At the count of three, Eren took a deep breath and began to sing.

"Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better"

Berthold began to play along, his fingers tapping away at the keys with skill and precision, just like how he plays his bass.

"Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better"

Mikasa closed her eyes as she listened to her boyfriend's voice, lips curled into a gentle smile. She has often wondered why he seldom sang lead and instead settled for backing vocals or instrumentation despite his wonderful singing voice, and has more than once argued with the others to let him be in the spotlight every now and then. He told her that it wasn't time yet and that he hasn't found the perfect song to perform with the others yet (despite being the singer when The Titans first played), and now he has.

She turned towards Armin, who has a dumbstruck expression stuck on his face. She stifled a giggle as she saw Armin blush even deeper when it finally hit him: Eren is playing the song for him.

"Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her

And her, is… Armin quickly snapped his head towards Mikasa, who couldn't help it anymore and quietly laughed at his flustered face. "Just listen to the song," she whispered to him, and he did.

"The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better"

Ymir joined with her perfect strumming of the chords, while the guys provided backing harmonies. Historia, seated at the table where Jean and Marco are, felt her heart flutter the moment her girlfriend began strumming. Though she knows that the song is for Armin (who are the only single people in their group?—no offence to him or Annie, of course), it feels as if Ymir is playing the song privately for her.

"And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder"

Armin finally let himself smile a little bit, listening to his best friend's band play one of his favorite songs. He swayed his head to the melody, drumming his fingers on the table when Reiner began to drum onstage, too.

At Historia's table, Jean began mouthing the words to the song as well, resting his weary head on Marco's shoulder, and was surprised when Marco slung an arm behind his back and gently squeezed Jean's shoulder. A flustered Jean glanced at his friend, whose face was flushed and equally flustered as he is, but Marco flashed him a warm smile that made Jean's pulse race.

"Nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah nah," they sang along with Eren, still stuck in that intimate position together.

"Hey Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her,"

"Let it out, and let it in"

Ymir's voice harmonized well with Eren's, and though he was surprised by her ad lib he continued to sing, the current guitarist blending gracefully with her soft, mezzo-soprano voice.

"Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Better, better, better, better, better woah!"

"Yay, here comes the best part!" Sasha began to sway her arms and sing along, and Connie found himself staring at his best friend beside him. Since when did she begin to look pretty in his eyes, with her goofy smile, warm brown eyes, and infectious personality? And when did he and the other patrons in the bar begin to sing and way along to the song?

"Na na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude!"

Soon enough, the entire bar began to sing along with the band. Even Levi, who isn't really that much of a Beatles fan to begin with, tapped his feet to the beat and swayed his head to the melody. When he caught an employee staring at him, that new waitress with the shoulder-length honey brown hair, but he didn't glare at her like he normally does. Instead, he just waved at her with his hand, telling her to resume her work. He might've caught her blushing at him from the corner of his eye, though.

"Na na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude!"

Surprisingly, Armin found himself singing along too, laughing all the way as he rocked back and forth on his chair. He caught Eren's eye and smiled widely at him, forgetting that just a few minutes ago he was sulking at the table, waiting for a girl he'll ask out soon—maybe not tonight, but soon. With his hardened resolve, Armin began to think about where he'll take her out. Annie's not really the kind of girl who's into romantic dinners, but she does like to watch movies. Maybe there's a new opening at the theater he could take her to?

There's an instrumental solo in before the next coda begins. By that time, the guy who's been flirting with Mina left for the restroom, but not before slipping his number in between her fingers. The girl immediately began to type in the numbers on her smartphone until a tap on shoulder brought her back to reality.

"Sorry I'm late. Dad decided to take me out grocery shopping this late in the evening." Annie looked at the band onstage, and a smirk formed on her lips seeing who the singer. "So Jeager actually sings The Beatles? Interesting."

Mina laughed and handed her a glass of cocktail that the guy bought for her. She doesn't really drink alcohol, and knowing Annie, she'll probably like a little it. "Someone's been waiting for you all evening," She giggled and pointed at a table where an Asian girl and a blond boy were sitting. Taking the hint, Annie left her friend on the cocktail bar and headed toward the table, knowing fully well who that person is.

Eren sang again, and everyone else joined in the fun. Annie stopped in her tracks and observed the people all around her. Among the crowded tables and chairs, she spotted Sasha and Connie at that table over there, with girl's hands wrapped around one his arms as they cheerfully sang along. A few tables away from them sat Historia, Jean and Marco, with the girl staring longingly at her partner strumming onstage, too fixated to notice the two boys sharing a loving look among themselves. At one of the tables nearest to the stage sat Eren's best friends, Mikasa and Armin. Annie had to rub her eyes to see if the girl smiling and laughing really is Mikasa Ackerman, the only person whose "demon dazzle" rivals hers (the other Ackerman doesn't count since he doesn't go to school anymore). And then her eyes fell onto Armin, who's just as energetic as Mikasa is. These past few days she noticed the guy being shifty and nervous around her; sort of like how Berthold was before he confessed to Reiner. Annie felt her face get warmer, and she blamed the heat inside the establishment.

She watched her friends onstage, playing probably one of their best performances to date. Reiner, who's passionately beating on his drums while singing along. Berthold, smiling as he played along and whom she's glad is finally using his keyboard skills to use again (not that she doesn't like him playing bass; it's just that she got used to him playing keyboard for so long). Ymir, slaying that guitar riff with an acoustic one for a change. And Eren, who's actually singing lead after three years of performing back-up and instrumentals.

Not bad, Jaeger. Not bad.

"Na na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude!"

Annie promptly sat down on an empty chair beside Armin and propped her hand under her chin. Stirring her drink from Mina with her free hand, she said, "So, what did I miss?"

Armin whipped his head towards her with the ghost of a laugh on his lips. She found herself smiling a bit, too. "Well, most of the song. And most of their performances, actually."

"Anything interesting happened while I was gone?" She sipped her drink with the straw, knowing that her friend hasn't touched it yet. It has a tropical taste on her mouth, and she licked her lips afterwards, trying to pinpoint what drink Mina gave her. Armin found it hard not to stare at them.

"Um, Bert and Ymir finally performed the duet they were planning."

"Oh, what was it again?"

"The Phantom of the Opera. They have incredible vocal ranges, too, especially Berthold." Armin scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Didn't know he could sing that low."

Onstage, The Titans saw the development between the two blonds. Mikasa left the table shortly after Annie sat down and was hovering behind them. Berthold and Reiner beamed at their female friend, who's finally getting Armin's signals. Ymir felt proud at herself for indirectly playing matchmaker. Eren felt the happiest of them all, since it was his plan to motivate his friend to talk to Annie. And it looks like something good is going on between the two…

"Na na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude, Jude!
Na na na na na na na, na na na na, hey Jude!"

The two were now in their own tiny little bubble, just like all the other couples in the room. They even notice it when Hey Jude had finally ended, and they didn't mind the applause coming from the crowd. They didn't even realize that Thinking Out Loud was playing in the background, with Berthold singing in Ed Sheeran's place (a little something he thought about while watching all the lovebirds in the room).

In between their conversation, Armin finally took a sip from his cocktail, the ice now melted and dulling the flavors just a little bit. He grimaced as the flavors swirled in his mouth. Annie curiously raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? You don't like it?" Her voice was filled with concern, an emotion only a handful of people ever see in her, Armin included. He shook his head and flashed her an apologetic smile.

"Nah, just not used to alcohol." He stared at the liquid in the glass. "Tastes pretty good, actually. Like a summer breeze."

Annie pursed her lips as her eyes fell into their drinks. Side by side, they actually look very similar, although hers has a slight pineapple taste mixed in. She racked her brain trying to remember the name of her drink. What does his taste like? Cautiously she reached for his glass. "May I?"

The boy blinked a couple of times, and then felt a surge of blood rising in his cheeks. Trying to keep his emotions in check, he nodded and slid the glass towards her. Everything suddenly became warmer as he watched her drink the liquid from the straw—his straw, which was in between his lips a while ago! Like what she did after having a taste from her own glass, Annie licked her lips once more.

"Ah, so mine is Bay Breeze." She slid the glass back to Armin. "And yours is Sea Breeze. Look at that, we actually match."

"How did you know that?" he asked, hoping that she didn't hear his voice crack just a little bit.

"Bay breezes have pineapple juice, while Sea Breezes have cranberry instead." She took a sip from her own glass once more, to check on her findings. "Or is it the other way around? I don't really remember…"

Without a second thought, Armin snatched the glass away from her and drank from her straw too, like the way she did. When the liquid entered his mouth, he did notice that distinct pineapple taste, something that his drink does not have. Satisfied in tasting for himself, Armin handed the glass back to his friend, who has a startled expression stuck on her face.

"Yup, pineapple alright."

Onstage, Eren tried his damnest not to laugh and screw up his performance. 'You sly, sly Armin Arlert! Giving indirect kisses like a boss!'

"So, I was thinking…"

Annie looked up from her cellphone to see Armin playing with the ends of his hair. What could he be nervous about, hm? Interested at how this conversation would go, Annie dropped the phone on the table, giving him her full attention.

'Now or never…' Taking a deep breath, Armin continued.

"I heard from Mikasa that the band scored another gig in a few more weeks. Not like this one, but at least they're playing again. Anyway, Historia's throwing a party, and she asked them to play. Well, them and a few other bands from school. I know you're not really into parties, but…"

He was interrupted by two of her fingers on his lips. "No offence Armin, but I'd prefer if we spend our first date somewhere less…noisy." She retracted her fingers, but the boy still felt the soft, gentle pressure on his lips. "There might be a slight chance that I'm grounded this week since I didn't ask permission to drive the car, but I saw that there's a new movie opening this Saturday. Not really interested in musicals, but I know you're a sucker for them." She turned her head away, attempting to hide the pink tint on her cheeks. "So, you free that day?"

Armin found himself chuckling, the nervousness finally relieved from his chest. "Sure! Pick you up at 3?"

Phew, so many ships in there. So let's see: there's AruAni, EreMika, ReiBert, YumiKuri, JeanMarco, SashaConnie, Mina with some random guy, and a little hint of LeviPetra. Wow, that's a lot. And I suck at writing romance, I know. Glad that's over! I might post a little side-story in the future, a sequel, or a prequel, maybe? Eh, who knows?