Armin Week 2024

Even though you knew how Armin was, you never expected anything extravagant for your birthday. You knew he was probably up to something, but didn’t want to pry; his plans never failed, you had no reason to worry. He’d give you an amazing birthday. However, you did want to take care of some preparations on your own, so you decide to let him know”. You know it’s my birthday in two weeks, right?” “Oh! So close already! I didn’t realise”. This was weird of him to say but you decided to brush it off. He was probably just playing dumb to make the surprise even better. “I know, right? I just wanted to ask you to not take care of the cake or candles. I’ve something particular in mind, I’d like to organise it myself. Is that okay? I know you love baking cakes with Jean and Sasha”. “Yeah yeah, that’s totally fine! No need to worry!” he said as he gave you a big smile and awkwardly gave you a thumbs with both of his fists.

Now, that’s fishy.

The days went by, not a sign of your upcoming surprise. Armin had gotten so good at this, you couldn’t find any clues in your shared apartment. Where were all the decorations and baking ingredients? You even checked his spotify and he’d make no new playlists.

You couldn’t help but feel a bit disheartened. Was he not in the mood to plan your birthday? Was your birthday not important anymore? Were YOU not important anymore? Was he tired of you? Did he want to break up and hadn’t found it in him to break the news right before your special day? As those thoughts kept circling in your mind, you realised you couldn’t help it. If Armin wanted to break up with you, he’d have to own it and face you. But you weren’t going to simply let your most special day of the year go by. You’d plan your own birthday and Armin could piss off.

The next two days were hectic for you. You still had three days to go but there were simply too many things to take care of and your life was already busy as it was. On those days, you barely saw Armin, which totally broke your heart. He really should talk to you about it. Even if you were to break up, you deserved to know, right?

You unlocked the door to your apartment, hands full of bags with all that you needed for your party; snacks, decorations, disposable straws and table cloths, ribbons and cards to write to your friends for their presents. Your phone was buzzing all day with texts of your friends that accepted your invitation and said they’d be there. Armin could never plan this as good as you could. As you managed to squeeze through your front door, you realised the apartment was completely dark, a sign that Armin hadn’t been home at all, or at least the kitchen lights would be on. Armin wasn’t home much these days either. Where was he even? What kept him this busy after work? “Ugh, honestly, fuck him. It’s my birthday after all!” you said aloud. While still setting the bags on the kitchen table and turning on the lights with your shoulder, the apartment lit up and you heard honks and popping noises, balloons flew around and all of your friends revealed themselves from behind your furniture, exclaiming “HAPPY BIRTHDAY Y/N” at the top of their lungs.

“What is going on you guys? It’s still three days until my birthday!”

They all rushed to hug and kiss you, handing you your presents. You were quickly holding a stack of about ten boxes and a few bags were awkwardly hanging from your hands. They all looked so happy though, Eren quickly turned the music on, Mikasa took a birthday cake - the birthday cake YOU’D ordered yourself! - out of your fridge and started planting those fancy silver candles you’d been desperate to find in it. Armin walked towards you and helped you by freeing your hands and putting all those gifts back on the floor.

“You didn’t seriously thought I’d forgotten your birthday, did you?”

“Armin, I thought you were breaking up with me, I was so depressed. Why are we celebrating my birthday this early?”

“Because you were all over my ass y/n, searching for your present and wanting to get this and that on your own. If I took any longer, it wouldn’t have been a surprise” he explained with a half smile.

“Armin Arlert, you’re the brightest man alive”. You let him pull you closer into his arms, relaxing in his embrace. “Happy birthday love” he said, planting a kiss on your forehead and handing you your present.

Needless to say the party was a massive blast, everyone had so much fun! (Even though Connie wanted to make himself the dj). It was the best birthday and it being a bit early wasn’t even a problem anymore. This only meant Armin had probably something even greater planned for the two of you for the actual date.

-after the party was over, in the midst of picking up rubbish off of the floor-

“Wait, did you really think I was breaking up with you y/n!?”

You plan Armin’s birthday…

“No Eren, YOU need to be the one to hang out with him! Besides, you’re hanging out together so often, he won’t even suspect! No, I can’t ask Historia to hang out with him out of the blue! Eren! I don’t even care! Figure it out! He’s your best friend!” you said and hang up on Eren. The trouble this boy was giving you. You and Mikasa were practically working yourselves overtime in order to plan Armin a surprise birthday party and Eren kept not doing his part of the preparations. Maybe you should just drop the subject, as he was being extremely unreliable. Whatever you two had him prepare these past two weeks, he’d do it wrong, you were starting to think it was deliberate.

“I’m sure he means nothing by it but you know Eren. He’s like this” Mikasa admitted with a sigh. “I’ll do my best to help you. Too bad Armin can’t help organise his own birthday, right? He’s so good at making things work”. She readjusted the bags in her hands, balancing them all, trying not to have anything fall on the ground.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you Mikasa. Sorry for dragging you to the shops with me on your day off!”

“No worries at all. Armin is worth all of this and more. I’m glad we’re planning this together!” she said and smiled at you brightly. “Let’s just leave all of our stuff at the venue. That way he won’t know what we’re planning. Do you think he suspects anything?”

“I’d be damned if hasn’t figured it all out already!” You felt your phone buzzing in your front pocket. “Oh wait. That’s him! Be quiet!”

“Hey there Armeen! What’s up?”

“Please don’t perpetuate this joke y/n!” he said laughing. “I was just curious, where’ve you been? I thought we were hanging out tonight?”

Shit. Shit shit shit. With this and that about Armin’s birthday, you’d totally forgotten you’d lied about hanging out with him. “I ugh… I’m out with Mikasa. Shopping. Uh… I found some reeeally nice lingerie you might like so wait for me? I’m sorry I’m late!”

“Okay, sure! Want me to bake up those chocolate croissants you bought the other day?”

“You’re seriously the best, Armin! Let me know if you want me to pick up anything on the way home!”

“Will do! See you later love!”

“Y/n we haven’t bought any lingerie. What are you going to tell him now? He’ll suspect stuff if you start babbling excuses”.

“We’re so doomed Mikasa… Let’s go back to the grocery store and buy one of those candy thong thingies? Then I can say I meant it as a prank or something…

-a few days later, at the venue-

“We’ll be there soon y/n. I lured him out by saying you were running late and had told Mikasa, who then told me. I think he bought it! I’ll pretend to be driving by your office building and then I’ll head straight to the venue.” Eren explained.

“Thank you, Eren, you’ve done great! Make sure to signal Mikasa when you’re about to arrive!”

“Don’t worry, we’ve got this! Gotta go, later!” he said and hang up abruptly.

“Where do I put this y/n?” Sasha asked and showed you one of the presents.

“Along with the rest of the gifts Sasha, on the big pile YOU built, remember? Why are you panicking?” you gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

“It’s too much y/n! How can YOU not panic???” Sasha had literally been running around like crazy for the past thirty minutes or so.

“I would, but you guys have helped me out so much! Oh wait, this is a text from Mikasa”. You turned your phone screen towards Sasha.

“They’re a few minutes away” Sasha read aloud. “Everyone, positions!”

The commotion grew and grew until you were all at your assigned places. Historia, disguised as a security guard, by the front door, Connie on the dj platform (he insisted!) and the rest of you waiting in the main area, hands filled with confetti and balloons ready to be thrown up in the air.

“And as I was saying, this club is the real deal Armin, you have to see the dance floor”

“What are we even doing here Eren? I’m sure y/n will be worried sick if she doesn’t find me at home. We were supposed to spend my birthday together, just the two of us. Why did you have to drag me all the way here and-”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARMIN!” Everyone shouted in unison. Connie started playing his music, everyone was hugging Armin and wishing him the happiest of birthdays, Historia let some more of Armin’s friends inside the venue and (finally) dropped her disguise to join into the hugging. Armin was all flushed and smiled so so bright, he couldn’t believe they’d all gathered up to organise him a massive birthday party!

“Honestly guys, thank you so much! This is huge! How many people have you invited?”

“The real mastermind behind all this is y/n! She planned the whole thing!” Eren said as he shooed Armin towards you.

Cupping your face in his hands he said “Guess the wine and charcuterie will’ve to wait, right?” and then kissed you on the lips.

“Happy Birthday… Armeen! I love you so much”, you chuckled into the kiss.

“I love you too y/n”

-later, while dancing-

“And, y/n, did you really buy that lingerie you were talking about the other day?”

Your face dropped at this reminder. How can you even admit that it’s a candy thong!?