Chapter Text
The clopping of hooves, the fizzle of smoke flares, and deafening footfalls all mingled and overwhelmed Armin's ears and mind. The beautiful golden sun-rays streaking the crisp spring air and blossoming flowers were betrayed by the terror felt through all five Scout units, and more specifically the lone soldier riding on horseback through the lush fields of Paradis. Pure fear made his ears ring as the boy stared at the massive, 14-meter creature making its way toward him. Even though its body was outlined by the evening sun beams that shrouded most of its front half in shadow, Armin could still make out the toned muscles constantly tensing and releasing, with no skin casing to hold them in. This creature had a thin, lithe frame that Armin had never seen on a titan before, it was uniquely feminine. Adrenaline rushed through his veins and he heard his own heart pounding in his ears, the heart he had sworn to give for humanity. Ever switching between, eyeing the titan, fumbling with the smoke flare, and trying to keep his horse going straight, finally he felt the pieces click into place and used one arm to lift the flare above his head and the other covering his ear.
A small wave of relief rolled over him as the black smoke cut through the air with a piercing pshkreeee
But his slight bit of solace was ripped away by the thundering of footsteps growing closer, closer, too close. Arlert whipped his head of gold-blonde hair around to see the skin deprived figure practically looming over him, up-close he was now able to see the spine-chilling grimace plastered on the she-titan's face. If the boy from Shiganshina district wasn't scared to death then, his blood was truly curdling now. All of the pent up fear of going beyond the walls, following Eren and Mikasa, and being alone in this field in a place he never wanted to be, all finally escaped through his throat in the loudest, shrillest, most desperate cry Armin had ever released as the distraction of it all caused him to fall off his horse and land in the grass with a thud
Time seemed to slow and everything around him seemed to cease to exist as he watched the titan's long legs flow above him. The ground shook as the female titan came to an abrupt stop, and loomed above him, her shadow totally eclipsing him, and any hope that he had of surviving this mission. All was still for but a few moments, then the blonde behemoth twisted its torso around to set its piercing blue eyes upon him. Perhaps even worse, it never stopped smiling . Even when it kneeled down to loom over him further. The moment felt like days as she bent down to his level, his sense of terror growing every second.
Fear entirely taking over by this point, the boy hid in his hood in a final, feeble attempt for his life.
…
Nothing happened. Nothing happened?
The only thing Armin felt was the hood being gently lifted from his face. He didn't want to look, he didn't want to see, but curiosity was strong, so he slowly opened his eyes and turned his head.
There she was, staring at him, smiling. For only a moment; he looked into a titan's eyes.
And then, just as suddenly as it had stopped. The behemoth stood up, and swiftly began running away from him.
Armin Arlet knelt, frozen, in the grass. Even when he heard a deep, familiar voice grace his ears from afar.
"Arlert! Are you alright!?"
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"You know, Annie, you really shocked me back there. I was so confused; why would a female titan let me live?
The man gave a light chuckle
“I suppose I know why now." Armin sat in his chair, looking up from his hands, and into the face of the enemy, now sealed away behind 2 feet of crystal.