Eren Jaeger (outsidethewalls) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2017-05-23 00:32:00 |
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Entry tags: | armin arlert, eren jaeger |
Who: Armin Arlert and Eren Jaeger
What: Armin comes to celebrate New Years Eve and the last couple of days of Hanukkah with Eren and meet his family
When: BACKDATED ALL THE WAY BACK TO NEW YEARS EVE
Where: Jaeger household in Sacramento, CA
Warnings: none
Status: finished
Armin was nervous about meeting his boyfriend’s parents for the first time. Especially considering how clearly his parents had made their feelings about the relationship known during his visit home. There’d even been that fight on Christmas which had resulted in him crying while skyping with Eren that night. He’d tried to make light of there being a problem but in the end he’d ended up pleading with Eren to just drop it, to let them talk about other things. Like how much he loved all the little panda things Eren had gotten him for Hanukkah. He felt a little guilty that he hadn’t gotten his boyfriend more gifts to celebrate that holiday with him. Next year. He’d make sure to get him a lot of little things next year.
He shifted Pan’s carrier from one hand to the other after ringing Eren’s doorbell, flushing a little as he waited and heard his cat grumbling inside it. “I know Pan. I know you hate the carrier. I promise. I’ll have you out of there as soon as Eren says it’s okay for me to open it up. Just be patient.” He murmured, wishing that he’d thought to make sure the blanket wasn’t going to be able to get bunched up under the cat so that he couldn’t use it for warmth.
***
“I’VE GOT IT!!” Eren yelled out when he heard the doorbell ring, scrambling over Mikasa as he jumped up from the couch and ignoring her protest of “Excuse you.” He’d make it up to his sister later, possibly letting her have some of his share of the candy their parents had given them over the week. He was just ...so excited and so eager to see his boyfriend. And he needed to hug him after the rough time that he’d been having at home over break.
Eren threw open the front door and wrapped his arms tight around Armin, careful not to jostle the cat carrier he was holding. “I’m so glad you got here okay, I’ve been told my directions aren’t always the best. God, I’ve missed you. And you, too, Pan.” He added as he stepped back to look inside the carrier.
***
Armin leaned a little against Eren when he wrapped his arms around him, ignoring the protestations from his cat at the movement as he wrapped his free arm around Eren’s waist. “I used gps. I learned my lesson about your directions the first time I tried to go to your apartment. I missed you too. And Zelda. And…” he let his voice trail off as he looked over Eren’s shoulder to make sure there was no one listening in. “I am terrified of meeting your family. What if they hate me?” He asked quietly, tears filling his eyes a little before he could blink them back.
“Pan would probably love to get out of this thing and into his coat. His blanket...didn’t help much I don’t think.” Yeah Pan had his own blankets on top of his coats - Armin liked spoiling him and he looked so cute in his little hoodies.
***
Eren laughed at that. He knew his directions were shit. They made sense to him and only him, even his family got confused at the directions that he gave. “That’s probably the best idea. And she’s missed you, too. She couldn’t stop sniffing the little coat that you got her, and curling up with it when she sleeps.” He gave his boyfriend a soft smile and shook his head as he held him tighter. “They are going to love you as much as I do, I promise. They’re not going to hate you, they’ve been looking forward to meeting you, actually.” he promised him.
“I’m sorry you’ve had to be trapped in there so long, Pan. Do you want to go play with Zelda?” he asked the little cat as he looked down at the carrier. “I got a travel litterbox already set up for him in the upstairs bathroom.”
***
“I just thought she’d look cute in it. And she seemed to like Pan’s so...I’m glad she likes it. It matches one of Pan’s so they can match while watching his cartoons,” Armin said, trying to stick to positive happy topics. Anything not to do with the mess that had been his visit home. He didn’t think he and Eren had rushed into anything despite what his parents had kept saying. He pressed his forehead against Eren’s neck when he felt his boyfriend pulling him tighter. “I just...I need one of our families to not think we rushed things and made a mistake and got serious too fast,” he mumbled into his shoulder.
Armin let out a little laugh at the meowing response Pan gave to Eren’s question. “You know he never answers me that way. I have to interpret blinks. Let’s let him out so they can play after I put his coat on him and then you can introduce me to your parents.” He was terrified of meeting Eren’s parents, of making a bad first impression on them. He needed this to go well.
***
“At the very least, we know that we’re not a mistake?” Eren murmured to Armin. “Because I know you’re the furthest thing I’ve made to a mistake in my life. And I think our opinion matters the most here.” Although he knew that his parents weren’t going to say that. His mom had been saying that she felt like he’d been a good influence on him. And she hadn’t even met Armin yet. Besides, they had a lot of people say they were making a mistake when they got married, being from different religions like they were.
“The only rushing too fast was when you stepped on me to answer the door.” Mikasa chimed in from the couch. Eren turned a little red from the way his sister fussed at him in front of his boyfriend. “That’s my sister. You’ve seen pictures of her before.” His living room had a picture of both of them in their caps and gowns from their graduation, in fact.
Eren kneeled down and opened the carrier door to let out Pan. “Maybe we can’t understand him, but he might understand us anyway? Come on, Pan. Zelda’s missed playing with you.” He said quietly to the cat before looking back up at his boyfriend. “Are you ready, Indy?”
***
“We’re definitely not a mistake. I’ve never ever thought that we were Eren.” Armin murmured to him, nuzzling his shoulder gently. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me Eren.” He said looking up at him as he stepped back.
“It’s nice to actually meet you Mikasa. Eren’s told me a lot about you.” He said, giving her a bright smile as Eren let Pan out. He turned his attention back to his boyfriend at that question. “He is smart so he probably does,” he smiled as he watched Pan rubbing against Eren’s legs. He was slowly starting to accept his boyfriend. He still wasn’t ready to let Eren hold him in his lap but he would let him love on him.
He grinned and flushed a little at that nickname. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
***
“And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, too.” Eren whispered as he stole a kiss. He laughed softly as Pan rubbed against his legs, and he rubbed at his ears. “I love you too, Pan. You must have been ready to get out of that carrier, weren’t you? Can’t blame you, You and your dad had a long drive.”
He took Armin’s hand as he stood back up. “Mom’s in the kitchen cooking. She started making brisket before I reminded her you don’t really eat meat, so we’re having beans, too. Everything else is vegetarian friendly, though. There’s also so many sweets you’ll gain ten pounds just from inhaling. ...Between all of us the stove’s pretty much been going all week.”
***
Armin sighed into that stolen kiss as he returned it, pressing tight to his boyfriend before stepping away. “And he had to be without his coat. You know how much he hates being undressed for long periods of time.” Pan would make sure Armin knew he was displeased. Loudly at times. And there had been a few destroyed t-shirts until he’d finally broken down and started buying more hoodies and things than Pan could ever have dirty all at once. He knelt down and pulled the coat out of his own jacket pocket and gently put it on Pan, moving his paws into the sleeves carefully so as not to hurt the kitten and then snapping it closed so he couldn’t lose it by accident. “Go find Zelda. Let her see how cute you look and get your friends cuddles. Play nice,” he said, standing back up as Pan darted off into the house.
“Eren...I’m not strictly vegetarian and you know it. Your mom didn’t have to make anything special for me. If I wasn’t feeling like eating meat, which by the way I will fight you for brisket if I have to, I’d have just eaten the sides. Or waited for dessert. But - thank you for making sure there was something I could eat if I wasn’t feeling meat.”
***
“I know how much he hates being without it. Poor cold Pan.” Eren knew full well how loud Armin’s cat was when he wasn’t happy about something. He wanted to be heard, damnit, and would make sure that everyone was listening. ...If he was honest, he was a cat version of him. He watched as Armin dressed the cat in his little hoodie and smiled. It was kind of cute, how eager Pan was to get into it. “Both of you, play nice!” Not that Eren needed to warn that, there was no reason in Zelda’s mind that anyone would ever come over except to see her. She was the friendliest, most laid back dog in the world.
“I do, but I didn’t know if it was one of the days you wanted meat or not, so… I wanted to be prepared. I didn’t want you to just have to eat nothing but the sides. Even if they are delicious. Have you ever had latkes before?” He squeezed Armin’s hand lightly and shook his head as he lead him into the kitchen. “Of course I wanted to make sure there was something you could eat, and I’m not going to make you fight me for the brisket. There’s plenty of it, and beans are still an extra side that all of us can eat. ...maybe make nachos with tomorrow for lunch if we’ve got leftovers.”
***
“And it’s not like I could text you and let you know since I’m never sure ahead of time,” Armin admitted as they walked towards the kitchen. “What are latkes?” He asked, lacing their fingers together as he squeezed back, relaxing under Eren’s touch. “Brisket nachos? That sounds so good…” He said quietly, tensing a little as they stepped into the kitchen and he saw Eren’s mom.
“Hi Mrs. Jaeger.”
***
Eren rubbed his thumb over the back of Armin’s hand as the other boy laced his fingers with his. “I’ll take this as a no. They’re… a sort of potato cake. There are sweet ones and savory ones, we’re having savory ones with dinner.” He shook his head at that. “I meant the beans but… you know what? Brisket nachos sound amazing, and we’re going to have to experiment with that for lunch tomorrow.” Maybe beans and brisket leftovers both.
Eren’s mom turned when she heard footsteps walk into the room and smiled warmly at the boys. “You must be Armin, Eren has told us so much about you. And probably shown us a million pictures of you on his phone.” She teased lightly, as she glanced at her son who was slowly turning pink. “And you can call me Carla. It’s so good to finally meet you.”
***
“Sweet potatoes? That’s one thing I’ll pass on Eren,” Armin said, wrinkling his nose a little. “If I’m not feeling meat tomorrow - and you have brisket on yours - will you let me taste them?” He asked, stepping closer to him without realizing it as Carla turned around. He gave her an almost shy smile as he nodded his head. He glanced up in horror when she mentioned the pictures though - he had sent Eren some that he really would prefer no one else saw. And there were ones that he’d agreed to Eren taking of him that were definitely for no one else’s eyes.
He turned his attention back to Carla as he started speaking, voice quavering a little. “It’s nice to meet you to Carla. Eren’s talked a lot about you and your bakery.”
***
Eren laughed softly at that reaction. “The sweet version is traditionally eaten with applesauce, but we’re not having that one tonight. But we are having them tomorrow, if you change your mind. And just enjoy the savory ones tonight? And if you don’t want meat tomorrow, I can put the brisket on mine separately from yours.
Eren squeezed Armin’s hand lightly and gave him a small shake of the head when he noticed the look on his boyfriend’s face. No, no he was not showing his parents or sister those photos of Armin. Most of the ones he showed them were selfies of them on dates together or pictures he sneakily took of the adorable face Armin made when he was studying. Nothing that was for their eyes only.
“He’d tried to get me to overnight a cake once so you could taste it.” Carla laughed softly. “I told him he’d just have to get you up here to try it yourself. I’m not surprised he tried, he’s always had a sweet tooth. I’m just surprised he didn’t try to get me to send some of everything.”
“We ...probably have some of most everything tonight.” Eren added. “I made sure at least that we’d have brownies. Mine still aren’t as good as Mom’s.”
***
“Can I just steal a bit of one of your sweet ones tomorrow?” Armin asked, giving him a soft smile. He knew Eren wouldn’t care too much if he just reached over with his fork the next day to grab one but he liked being sure before he did that. Especially in an unfamiliar setting.
He let out a small sigh of relief when Eren gave that slight head shake and squeezed his hand back before turning his gaze back to Carla. “I learned that about him early on. Our first date involved double helpings of pastry at a little coffee shop near the campus. I’m still not entirely convinced his drink wasn’t more sugar than coffee.” Armin said, a teasing smile on his face.
“Eren’s probably told you this but - brownies are my favorite baked good so I’ll definitely make sure to try those.”
***
“And if you like them, you can have as much as you like.” Eren was really glad to have Armin here not only for New Year's Eve, but also just to share his traditions with him. He kind of felt lucky that Hanukkah fell so late in the year this year. He wasn’t sure if Armin’s parents would have been cool with him taking off for most of the break, and he’d have felt like he missed out if he didn’t get to share this and New Year’s Eve both with him. “Besides, when have we not tasted from each other’s plate? Especially when trying something new.”
“In my defense, that’s just how that drink comes.” Eren interjected into the conversation. Even if he was the one who ordered that drink. Carla let out a laugh and shook her head at the two boys. “I’m not surprised. We serve coffee at the bakery, and he’s the one who keeps dropping in the suggestion box that we need our own version of Fraps… I know your handwriting, Eren.”
Eren flushed and shrugged as his mom cut off his objection. “I did make sure to tell her, and specifically that you like the ones with walnuts the best.”
***
Armin flushed at Eren’s question and murmured quietly as he looked down at the floor. “I just wanted to make sure since we’re at your parents. I didn’t want to just assume that we could be our normal selves. I told you - I really really want them to like me.” He said, laughing a little as he heard the sounds of Zelda and Pan chasing each other upstairs. It was a sound he heard lots of when they were at home - only then it was in another room. They’d play until they wore themselves out and then settle down for a nap together.
He couldn’t help but laugh at the way Eren’s mom teased her son. “Has it always been so...illegible? I don’t borrow his notes if I have to miss a class we have together because it’ll take me forever to decipher then. I don’t see how he can read them.” He said tilting his head up to kiss Eren’s jaw without thinking about it.
“Sneaky.” He teased.
***
“I don’t ever not want to be ourselves when we’re together.” Eren murmured. “And they’re going to like you. I promise they are.” He laughed as well when he heard the familiar sounds of their pets chasing each other. He loved that they felt right at home already, despite this being a strange and new place for Pan.
“I suspect he inherited it from Grisha. I think not being able to write is a job requirement.” Carla stage whispered to Armin. Eren couldn’t help but laugh at that. It was a running joke in the family, what with his dad being a doctor. His handwriting was ...a lot better than Eren’s, sadly. Eren nudged his boyfriend lightly with his forehead at that comment. “Says the boy who is going to be an archeologist. Hieroglyphics might be a little harder..”
***
Armin relaxed a little when he heard Eren say he didn’t want them to ever not be themselves when they were together. “Just keep reminding me of that this weekend?” He murmured back, biting down on his lower lip as he gave him a pleading look. “And I brought The Spotted Thing with me. I can’t sleep without him. Even with you there.” He murmured.
Armin laughed at that whisper, nuzzling against his shoulder to take any sting out of the teasing. “Well, we have the Rosetta stone for that love.”
***
“I promise that I’ll keep reminding you. And I don’t mind, just don’t forget him? I don’t want you to have to do without him until I can get him back to you.” Eren murmured.
Eren blushed brightly at that teasing and let out a small groan. “I probably deserved that, I’ve seen my handwriting.” And so far no one had made a rosetta stone of his handwriting vs a normal person’s. “Still, at least mine’s in English? And almost never made out of pictures.”
***