Wrong Side Of The Rainbow | An AruAni Fanfiction

On a Gatch and on a Schedule

Hands stiff but movable, eyes barely openable, stomach completely restrained to every muscle in my body, I was almost entirely restrained to the... gatch. I was in a gatch bed. The night... no... morning's fiasco had completely knocked me out. I held onto the rails and tried to push myself up but my core was too tight. My neck had totalled itself. I was immobilised.

"A-Armin?" A voice said. It was a male's, quite familiar... Oh.
"Eren?" I asked, widening my eyes as much as I could so that I could peer over to him.
"Yeah, it's me." Eren's here. Hm. He paused for a moment. "I'm really sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it at all. I think that in the spite of the moment and Jean being there, I came to a really stupid conclusion a-and I think I was just mad at myself for thinking something so stupid a-and saying it out loud and-"
"Eren, don't worry about it... I'll be alright. They're just words." I smiled, not knowing if he could see it though since I was fixated on the ceiling.
"Words are important to you, Armin. You spend a lot of your time reading them, so Annie had to right to defend you like that." He whispered, pushing his brown hair back.

"You got hurt, though." I say, dumbly.
"I thought you were the smart one, heh." Realisation hit me harder than Mikasa and her fist. 
"Oh yeah, shifters." I croaked, regaining my breath. "Did you heal up well?"
"Yes, just a little sore, I guess. I suppose I should let you know that Annie, Jean and Historia have visited a bunch of times, Levi, Erwin and Hanji have too. Reiner, Connie and Ymir have popped in a few times too."
"O-oh. I hope I can visit soon. Mikasa hit me a lot harder than expected. Speaking of, where is Mikasa and how is she doing?" I ask, slowly trying to raise my body through my back.
"I think you evened the odds with Mikasa. She nearly broke her nose in the fall, along with twisting her ankle. She's going to be alright, though."

"I did that... to Mikasa? One of the only people who helped me when I was in need of it?"
"Armin, don't sweat it. She needs a tile to the face every now and then." Eren laughed, somewhat smiling.
"B-but I could've-"
"Armin! You're up! Jean chuckled, smashing the door into the wall and coming to my side with a basket of sorts. Eren groaned and stayed quiet.
"Hi, Jean." 
"How are you feeling? It's been pretty.. uh... messy without a sane person." Jean neighed. Eren agreed with a 'mhm'.
"I'm feeling okay. I can't really feel my stomach though. I feel like a gutted pig. Okay on the outside, gutless on the inside." I whimpered, groaning as I pulled a muscle in my back.
"Don't worry, you'll be alright in no time! Pretty much all's been the same with the rest of the Scouts except for Mikasa. She's been feeling a lot of feelings. Didn't know that was possible for her, to be honest. Jean remarked, looking around the room as he spoke.

"Well, horse face is right. She's just sorta been off for the last week or so because of the... uh... situation." Eren added. 
"I've been here for a week?!?" I yelled, sitting upright despite being immobile a few minutes ago. 
"Yeah, you didn't tell him, Eren?"
"I didn't think to, dumba- JEAN." I laughed at the two, just smiling at the fact that they weren't killing each other yet.

They argued over the dumbass in the room; Eren or Jean. I just agreed with all of their reasons to avoid a fight. I heard a loud gasp followed by a little tap dance created by ODM uniform boots come from outside the open door. 

"Ohoy!!! Levi, Erwin!!! Armin's up!!!" Loud voice, exaggerated everything-
"Morning Hanji." Eren, Jean and I said in sync, Jean and Eren standing up to salute them. 
"Oi, you're up. Get to cleaning. Levi growled. 
"Levi, he's been comatose for over a week, give him a rest." Erwin replied, furrowing his eyebrows.
"He's already had a week's rest, he should now have a week's worth of energy." I didn't say anything, knowing that even if I did fight back, it would be for nothing. Levi was being sarcastic.

As everyone argued over what'd be happening with me, I tried my hardest to move my legs over the bed. Jean ended up leaving. I don't blame him. 

"Armin's awake?" Comforting. A comforting voice. An angelic comforting one. An angelic comforting voice was here. It was Annie's.
"Hi, Annie..." My stomach hurt but it wasn't the gut-wrenching one from before. It was a stomach filling feeling. It felt so weird yet made me so happy. Annie made me happy. I couldn't help but smile at her arrival. 
"How are you doing?" She asked, voice still somewhat lifeless. Reiner and Bertholdt came with her.
"I'm doing alright, my stomach just hurts a little." I replied, still trying my best to sit up. "How have you three been? I must've missed out on a lot."
"Same old, same old." Reiner answered, stroking his chin.
"Uh, good, I guess." Bertholdt added.
"I'm... Okay, I suppose." Annie answered after the boys. We chattered amongst ourselves until Levi spoke up about plans. 

"Fine, one more day of recovery then Arlert's back in the Special Operations Squad. We need him back out there." Levi left with Erwin and Hanji. Eren came to my side, kneeling with his arms crossed over the railing.

"I hope you're all healed up by then, Armin. Levi is right, we do need you back out there. Erwin's plans are too reckless, Levi's are just bullshit, Hanji's all involve experiments on me and everyone elses' are just dumb. Including mine..." He whispered the last part, probably to avoid embarrassment. 
"They are. He's not lying about his being dumb!" Reiner laughed, placing a firm hand on Eren's shoulder. 
"Aye, they're not that bad! They're good til' they aren't!" Argued Eren. 
"We should probably let the nurses help Armin get back on his feet." Bertholdt said. I am not really close to Bertholdt, but he is a considerate person who is willing to help if asked. ((lol u thought 
"Yeah. Just get one of the nurses to get me if you need a little help, Armin. We'll see you tomorrow!"
"Okay, bye everyone. Thank you for coming, it means a lot." Reiner put up a thumbs up, Bert smiled and Eren gave me a quick hug. Those three left, assuming Annie was following behind.

"Armin." Annie said, tucking her gorgeous, light, blonde-  HAIR, her hair behind her ear as she gazed out of the window.
"Oh, yes?" I replied, smiling as she came closer.
"Um, Mikasa wanted me to give this to you..." Annie handed me a folded piece of parchment. It was laced  with a red string and had a little stain on the bottom left corner. It must've been a drink spilled by a parchment machine monitor.
"Oh. Thank you, Annie. Is she mad at me?" I asked, looking up and into Annie's eyes.
"I dunno, maybe it'll help if you read it." Ouch. She must've realised it was a little rude because she muttered a 'sorry' right after she said it. I didn't mind though. She wouldn't have meant it.
"Alright." My hands were stiff and my shoulders wanted to give up, but I managed to undo the string and unfold the paper. 

~~
"Armin, I don't know what came over me. I was just enraged because of Annie's actions towards Eren. You know how I see him, and I swore to defend him at all costs since he saved me. I do not know why I took it out on you, Armin. Please come talk to me in private when you've healed up. I didn't mean to hit you that hard. I cannot help but blame myself for your current state. You're comatose, and I stand responsible. Eren hasn't spoke to me much, nor have other cadets. I hope you end up reading this. I'm so sorry."

~~

"Armin?" Annie asked, bending over my bed.
"Huh, sorry."
"Um, what did she say..?" She  muttered, almost uninterested.
"Oh, she said she's sorry. Mikasa's not one to apologise so I'm not sure how to take it."
"Alright."

We sat in silence for a while, just looking to the side of each other until our unpeaceful silence was interrupted by Reiner and Bertholdt who had come back in.
"Annie, the Military have asked for you. C'mon." Damn, Annie was going already... For some reason, I feel a sensation of comfort when she's with me... It's really... Heart warming. She makes my heart and head all fuzzy. Or maybe I'm just sick. My immune system has a thing for failing me.
"Mkay... I'll see you tomorrow, Armin."
"O-Oh, bye guys." I replied, sighing after. Now it's just me, the nurses and the stench of death.

ahehehdnheh as this one is being published, P4 is being written and edited! I was going to include it but this alone already exceeded 1.5k+ words so I'm just going to make two parts out of it. Also, this cover was quickly whipped up by me. I do actual book covers for my projects for rep projects. Well, I hope you enjoyed and you better have a lovely day! <3