Indefinitely - Armin X Reader

Chapter 32 | Multiple Flares

"Well Jean, I wouldn't mind going to a gift shop and seeing a few sights, but you're right. This is getting stupid." I replied stupidly. 

"So be it." Armin said tiredly. "Commander Erwin must have a plan on mind. Perhaps the situation compels him to improvise?"

"That gives me a lot of confidence. Maybe he's looking for a spot to throw all the rookies a celebratory picnic."

"Uh, I rather doubt that, Jean." The blonde muttered awkwardly. 

"Sarcasm; a foreign language to you." I called teasingly Armin.

"Lighten up would you." The brunette scolded. "The thing is, I'm praying for him not to camp here. Not with that Female titan on our ass; we'd be sitting ducks with no way to get down or get away - he's gotta know that. Yeah, we're just passing through on our way to somewhere else. No one in his right mind would make a stop here."

"All soldiers halt!" A man in front of us called. He was perched on his horse as he received a message from another soldier. 

As we stopped suddenly and I was jolted, I gave a whimper of pain. Armin looked at me worriedly and I smiled hastily.

"It's nothing, really." I reassured hurriedly, but his face fell as he saw how I was clutching at my side.

"When she hit us..." He whispered, looking at me fearfully. "Oh, Y/n... Are you okay? You told me it was just your head..."

"I'll be fine, I'll work through it." I muttered, trying my best to give an earnest smile, and he hummed with a doubtful look on his face.

"The second we get back to HQ, you need to get some rest straight away, and be taken to the hospital wing!" Armin urged. "You shouldn't be moving, Y/n!"

"I'm fine, Ar." I insisted.

---

"All right Rookies, listen up." The soldier spoke, clearly assuming the position of captain. I bitterly wished it were Jean; he was always a good leader. "We're assuming a position within the trees, on foot. Search and find a perch, and if any titans attempt to enter the forest, stop them, whatever it takes."

"Uh, excuse me, sir..." Jean began, but he was cut off

"I gave you an order!" The man yelled and leapt into the trees without another word.

"What titan crawled up his ass and died?" I muttered

"Okay, what the hell's going on?" Jean groaned. 

---

"Do you believe this bullshit?" Jean complained. "Am I the only one who wonders why we didn't go galloping home after the Female titan showed up? Why are we all playing bird house? Oh, wait, no, I know the last one - no titan's allowed in the centre rank's nature retreat. What a fool, he's got no idea what going on." 

"He'll hear you!" Armin hissed in warning, glancing at the self appointed captain.

"He's too busy pissing himself anyway." I muttered. 

"What do I care? The brunette scoffed. "He's not explaining anything to the one's risking their lives. Look at him - he acts all calm and in control, but he's petrified."

"What do you mean?" Armin asked worriedly.

"The say when officers in the field are deemed incompetent by their men, they can be relieved of their duty." Jean murmured in a low voice. "Or in more extreme cases, they can die of a mysterious stab wound in their back. I suppose there's all kinds of accidents that can happen out here..."

"Calm the fuck down, Jean." I sighed, sitting down on the branch we were standing on. I leant against the broad trunk, shutting my eyes. The ache in my side wasn't disappearing, and all I wanted to do was go home and sleep. I thought sadly of my home in Shinganshina, my warm bed and comforting smells always coming from the kitchen. Waking up in the middle of the night because Eren was bored, playing dumb little games with Mikasa to pass the time on rainy days. Running to the tree on the hill, just past the river, on windy days, to lie underneath it and read Armin's book with him, his warm hand in my own. I missed that time so much. 

"Hold on, whatever you're thinking of doing..." Armin whispered, causing me to open my eyes. 

"Look, I'm just talking." Jean replied. "The whole situation is screwed, and I need to vent, alright? I'm not gonna start a mutiny, or not yet at least. Just answer me this - do you agree with this strategy, or do you think it's crap? Honestly. Cause you look like you know something I don't."

"Well..." The blonde started weakly, but he looked like he didn't want to talk about whatever was on his mind. 

"Jean," I sighed. "Please just give it a rest. Can't this wait for a bit, at least until we can catch our breath and think? I really just wanna relax for a bit, and I think Armin does as well."

Armin looked at me, slightly relieved, whereas Jean looked at me with concern in his eyes. He walked towards me and knelt down, examining the gash on my forehead. He had wrapped it earlier in bandages, however it was bleeding once more. He brushed a finger over it tenderly. 

"You always find a way to get hurt, don't you Y/n." He muttered. I smiled tiredly at him before looking behind his body at Armin. The blonde was looking at our interaction with an expression I couldn't recognize. He started walking towards me, taking a seat at my side on the branch. He reached across for my hand that was sitting in my lap and took it, holding it in his, now in his lap. I watched him in surprise as he looked up at Jean, an expression of pointed determination on his face, still accompanied with a faint blush.

"It's alright, Armin." Jean chuckled, taking a step back. 

"What's that all about?" I asked, glancing between them, the boys still looking at each other, but we were interrupted by a call from the captain. 

"Five metre titan approaching!" The man cried out. We peered down over the branch to see the small titan running towards us, limbs flailing. 

"Holy shit, that thing looks fucking weird." I murmured. 

Jean stared below us at the titans at the base of the tree we were standing on. They were looking stupidly up at us, clawing at the bark. 

"Our orders are to keep titans out, right?" Jean muttered. "Right? So, I mean, we don't actually need to fight them, yeah?"

Armin and I glanced at each other, and as he slouched backwards against the trunk, I gave a low groan.

"Am I wrong?" He asked again, voice weaker. 

"We're so fucked." I whispered. 

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PEACE