THE OTHER SIDE. aa

vier.

     he picked it up carefully, turning the pages in amusement while reading a few sentences or words. the cover was crinkled and faded, the pages as well. armin didn't know what the book was about but he figured it was important to you if you still read something so... old. he wanted to give it back but he didn't know how; he couldn't possibly leave the book in the sand, it would get wet from the waves or someone might pick it up.

     but he couldn't give it himself as well.

     it already shattered his mind that he allowed himself to stay long on the land while a human was watching him. having no other option, he chose to keep it for now and perhaps give it back without exposing himself. he had no idea how he could do that but it was the least of his worries.

     he closed his eyes and kissed the cover lightly before pulling away and smiling; the book wouldn't get wet now if he took it underwater with him. that technique was common to every mermaid, just to keep objects dry if they ever get it out of the water, which was rare.

     armin sighed wistfully and turned to look back at the land once more, eyes wistful, before diving under the water and finally leaving to head towards his kingdom.

     your footsteps echoed loudly as you run straight to your car, mentally cursing yourself for parking is quite far away. you didn't stop to look back or to check if what you saw was really a fucking mermaid because there was no way in hell were you going to get back.

     that male creature captured your attention more than you wanted to admit, whether you think he was creepy as fuck, real, or just a random dude who likes cosplaying. he seemed so terrifyingly real.

     seeing one of the mythical creatures up close seemed so surreal, almost like a big dream... and yet his whole being intrigued you just like the great scientist galileo when it comes to the universe.

     cartoons didn't even lie about a mermaid's look, he was attractive as hell.

     you laughed to yourself loudly and shook your head, you were beginning to lose your sanity at this point. he probably was just another figment of your imagination, a hallucination even.

     because there was no way in hell that you saw a goddamn living mermaid.

     you yelped as you collided with something hard and solid, pushing you backward that caused you to land on your rear. you yelped at the burning pain in your lower half, looking up to see a familiar person that you bumped into.

     "reiner?"

     "hey y/n," he greeted with a cheeky smile, "even if i told you not to visit you still did- wait, hey, you're pale as hell. you okay?" he asked while helping you up, worry very evident in his gruff voice.

     you blinked and rubbed your eyes, about to answer the blond when you stopped. if you told him about seeing a real mermaid by the beach, he'd probably laugh at you and tease you for decades to come. he wouldn't even believe you.

     plus, you weren't even sure if it was real. it could be a product of your imagination, a hallucination because of how stressed out or tired you currently were, or your human eye playing tricks on you. even so, you didn't want to tell him the truth. it was probably nothing, right?