𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹

FOURTY-NINE

ARMIN'S POV: The Funeral

As I stand in the mirror, I attempt to tie my tie. I was never good at it honestly. It wasn't an accessory I'd usually wear.

"Need help?" Annie says as she walks up from behind me.

I look over my shoulder and chuckle in embarrassment. "Yes, please."

She circles around me and stands in front of me. She places her hands on my shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze. "Relax Armin." She grabs the tie and starts fixing it up.

I sigh. "I should've never talked to Erwin like that. What if he gives me extra work? Or suspends me for disrespecting him like that."

I never talked to a commander like that before

She scoffs. "He won't do shit. It was a meeting he called because he wanted the teams input on the situation. You said your input so he can't be mad about that."

"I know but..."

She grabs my face, making me look at her. "What Erwin did was uncalled for. Let's not stress it now when we should be on our way to the cemetery."

Right..

Today is not about me

It's about them.

•••

[HIGHLY Recommended: Skyfall by Adele]

"Thank you all for being here. I know there aren't much of us but I'm grateful each and every one of you came." I say looking over the small crowd of people.

"As we stand here today, we pay our respects to two people dearest to us who have passed away..." I look down at the caskets in front of us. "Y/n and Eren, the two who where never able to live their lives. The two who learned to love each other too late."

I never understood their love, honestly. I found that they moved too quickly. Maybe it's because they thought it was going to just be a fling, or maybe it's just the way they handled things. Y/n was never one to be open or loving to just anyone. Or... at least she wasn't till after the incident with her mother.

"I don't know why they did the things they did. I was never aware of any of it before, but honestly... I wish they'd have chosen a better way. A better path."

Eren wasn't friendly with everyone. He'd sit in a corner and observe you from afar. Judging your every move, words, expressions. I didn't think they'd get along when y/n came back. Their personalities were almost identical to an extent.

It just didn't seem fitting.

"May we all have a moment of silence to say any prayers or express condolences." I watch as heads slowly fall down. The eyes of everyone closing as they put their hands together.

My assumptions were wrong.

When Eren was stabbed by y/n resulting in her disappearance, I automatically knew she loved him. I've known y/n since we were in training. She was sweet and gentle; Innocent and pure. We clicked as soon as she introduced herself to me.

As the years flew by and I got to know y/n, I grew to memorize her. To know what she'd say, what she'd do, even how she'd think. She was easy to read but mainly because she let herself be.

I knew she hurt him to protect him. To protect her heart. She just wasn't aware that it'd cause more problems in the relationship than fix.