"Y/n!"
You turned towards the small voice of someone calling out your name and your eyebrows raised a little bit to see one of your best friends hurrying over to you with what seems to be a book.
"Oh," You started. "hi Armin." You waved at your friend who was now in front of you, clutching the book in his arms and close to his chest.
"I found a new book! Isn't it cool!?" Armin exclaimed as he presented it to you. You looked down at the book, it looked a bit dusty and old. It had someone tears in its wavered-down brown cover and the pages looked a bit matted on the sides. Despite how much it looked like it came right of a poor yardsale—it really did brighten Armin up. Of course, you weren't going to ruin his little parade.
"Oooh—it sure is something." You said as your eyes were stuck on the book. "What's it about?" You questioned.
"It's a full book of rituals!" Armin exclaimed happily...a little too happy at that. You stared at him for some time... this wasn't new behavior at all. You already knew how Armin is with his...issues. As well as his strange love for...whatever he enjoys that would be deemed absurdly cruel and inhumane. "I can perform so many times new rituals... and soon achieve to take over this beloved place we call the world." He said eerily.
"... That's... That's cute Armin. But why did you need to tell me about this?"
"Don't you want to read it with me? You always read me! You're the reason why I even know how to read!" Armin replied. That is very true. When Armin brings a book along he always insists that he would like to read it with you when Eren isn't around to do so. You always say yes because first, Armin is your best friend. Within these depressing walls you were able to gain a friend. Even though Armin isn't...all that stable he's still your friend. The same goes for Mikasa and Eren. You guys are all friends here. Second, you find it pretty nice to read with Armin. You are a small fan of books and will only read one if you feel like it or the book has caught your interest—we all know that this is the type of situation where you feel like it. You don't think rituals catches your eye...
You agreed with reading with Armin about this book full of messed up ritual shit as you both sat side by side together as you two explored the pages. More like Armin did so while you just listened to whatever he was saying.
You forgot to mention that despite Armin's strange behavior, he truly was a very cute boy in your eyes. The first time you met him you never thought that we would end being a fucked up kid... it got you thinking as to how he even got this insane. But you knew better than to ask such harsh questions like that. After than that you still saw Armin as a sweet and cute boy. Mikasa and Eren introduced you to him and ever since you two have been close. It was a pretty strange friendship you two had but you guys didn't really have anything for yourselves. Everyone here in this village is poor. You hate to say it but it's true. You're all low class but at least everyone here is in the same boat and you're not surrounded by rich assholes. So when you have close friends who can fulfill your heart despite not having anything.
Armin on the other hand has grown a lot closer to you after you two met a while back. He saw you around the village a few good times just casually taking a walk or gathering some sticks for your parents back at your home. Even when he saw you just those small times he thought that you were the prettiest girl he's ever seen with his own two eyes. Your hair always looked so nice despite everyone here not having a lot of support in taking care of themselves you managed to keep yourself looking decently pretty. At first, he was afraid that he would scare you away with his... creepiness but you stayed. It allowed him to act like his true self around you despite him knowing you may think of him as weird internally but never outloud.
Suddenly, a shadow hovered over the two of you, making you both come to a halt. You furrowed your brows with disgust as you felt like you knew what was going to happen. Armin let out a high-pitched yelp when he felt a boy grab onto him. You also felt the hands of someone grabbing you as well. You heard those horrendous snickers of what seemed to be a boy's cackle. You saw that it was the three boys who picked on Armin before. Hadn't you dealt with them already? Why do they just keep coming back?
"Stupid fucking nerds," one of them spat as he shoved Armin up against a stone wall. "reading books and shit." Armin let out a groan as he weekly glared up at the boy.
"I hope you're enjoying this." Armin mumbled loud enough for them to hear. You growled as you tried to escape from another boy's grip around you. Of course they just had to hold you back cause they knew that they got their asses whooped last time. Pathetic. "You're the stronger one now. But one day i'm gonna grow up, and i'm gonna teach myself how to make chloroform and knock you all out." Armin sneered as a shadow hovered over his eyes. "Then, i'll drag you to my basement and chain you to the foundation. The first thing you'll see upon waking up is me standing before you as your name God." Admin spoke with determination in his tone. "And then i'll make you worship me in ways no one has before." He added darkly. They stared at him silently for what seemed like a full blown minute. You don't mean to judge but Armin was pretty bad at intimidating people... just saying. But he definitely wasn't bad at distracting.
You were thankful for Armin's failed intimidation tactics because this allowed you to beat some ass. You were so sick and tired of these damned older kids bickering with you, especially Armin. You made sure to give them a hard ass whooping, something that their parents failed to give them. There were like three boys and yet they all got pummeled and was eating dirt. They tried to steal Armin's book too but that failed of course. You watched as they all scrambled away running with a pissed off expression on display.
"Stupid assholes..." You mumbled under your breath. You picked up the fallen book off the ground and dusted off the dirt. "Armin are you alright?" You asked him as you walked over to him.
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine..." Armin said as he took your hand and helped himself up off the ground. "Thank you for helping me."
"Of course, i'll always help you when you need it." You said with a gentle smile on your face. Armin felt hypnotized by your smile and felt his heart warm up ever so slightly. What was this feeling...?
~
"So that's why they were running?" Eren questioned the two of you. When Eren and Mikasa were outside their home, they saw the same boys scurrying off down the dirt road. Though they got a small glimpse of the three boys they could see that they had bruises.
"Mhm," you nodded your head. "those assholes are getting on my nerves. I literally handled them like, last week. But they can't seem to fuck off." You spoke with a frown on your face. It was obvious that you were still highly pissed about the second encounter. Speaking of that, you and Mikasa shared some things in common. You two are strong for your small age, showing that you two attend to Eren and Armin's troubles with other people around your age. Even though you two are friends Mikasa rarely speaks to you—if you want to talk to her you're gonna have to open your mouth and say something first. Of course, you don't mind but you find it a bit weird that she doesn't speak to you that much. But overall, you personally think that she's still your friend. She's helped you a good few times and you take that as a sign that you two are still good friends.
"Damn, how do you cope Armin?" Eren asked Armin. It was sort of quiet for a few good seconds before replying.
"Well, I started off by writing dark poetry," Armin started. As soon as he said that small line you made a wary look at Eren which he returned with the same look. You both, and even Mikasa knew that Armin being himself, he was going to say something out of pocket like he always does. "and then worked my way up to hand-sewing perfect doll replicas of my tormentors." Your eyes slightly widened at what he said but other than that you kept quiet. "Then placing each doll in a pentagramic circle and stabbing their eyes out before extinguishing their souls in a ritualized fire ceremony." He finished up with a plain look on his face.
However, there was one exception. That exception was his prized possession. He would make those replicas of his tormentors with hate and contempt for a murderous revenge but this certain doll was not made for anything of the sort. It was made out of pure love. This doll was the delicate version of you. It looked exactly like you just in a doll-like version of you. His other ones looked rushed but resembles the ones that done him wrong. But you? He sure did take his damn time. He made sure to make the yarn look exactly like your hair type and style. He wishes it was your hair that he would be using but that's okay. It was so hard for him to pick out an outfit for you. He loved everything you wore because you always looked so pretty. You made everything look pretty so it doesn't matter what you wear you would always look beautiful. But he settled with a nice outfit and stick with it. He got buttons the same color as your eyes and stitched you a small smile. You looked so pretty. He felt so unworthy to even look at both you and your doll. About that fire? He would never throw you in it. He would never stab your eyes out. He would never throw you. He would never curse at you. He would never do anything of the sort. You were his. You are everything to him. He usually throws the other dolls in random parts of his room but you have your own little shrine that he also made with love and care. You sat there like the angel you are, looking so pretty right where you are. He would stare at the doll, feeling so unworthy with himself. He shouldn't even be allowed to look at you at all. He really shouldn't. He stopped harming himself because he knew that it would make you sad. He didn't want to make you sad. He didn't want you to ever be upset with him.
"Damn Armin, that's kinda fucked up." Eren said warily as he sweatdropped at his friend. Eren wasn't lying about that, it was pretty fucked up.
"It gets worse." Armin spoke with a sigh.
"Aww," You started. "Armin you don't need to do all that. You can always talk to us about anything. We're here for you." You volunteered. Armin felt his heart warm up again at your words. Even though it was directed to Eren and Mikasa including yourself, he only saw you. He registered that you were going to be there for him. Only you.
That's when a loud bang came out of nowhere. The four of you saw lightning strike down from the sky, making the blue sky turn dark for a split second. The harsh impact made you fall right off the staircase with a thud. You could hear the sudden screams of people around you as you weakly lifted up your head. Your face had stains of dirt on since you fell. You felt Mikasa help you off the ground and back onto your two feet. You could see Eren running and following after the running people to see what was all the commotion so you both followed suite. You tried to get a closer look at what was starting all of this...
You regretted your decision.
Your eyes widened as your ears started to ring. You felt frozen to your spot at you stared up at pure evil. You couldn't move away. You couldn't look away. All you could do was just stand there not being able to move. The palms of your hands got sweaty. Your mouth was agape. The walls were supposed to protect you all from what was outside them. The only thing that would keep you safe was now proven to be useless. It was all hopeless to you. It's ironic. You were to never see. You were to never look. You weren't even to speak of the monsters that was lurking around the walls. But now you were staring face to face with one from afar.
It peered over the wall with its eyes. Its gigantic hand was placed over the wall, making it slightly crumble underneath its harsh grasp. Even though the monster was far away, it felt like it was looking dead at you. You could tell that its eyes were filled with bloodlust. The need for human flesh was inevitable for its diet. The need to kill runs through its veins nonstop with no end til death does it part.
In a flash of an eye, your home, your life, your loved ones... were gone.