𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 (𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏) || 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐈𝐍 𝐀.

𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 3~ 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑔𝑒𝑒𝑠

Your POV

We were taken refugee in Trost.

Armin and I got four pieces of bread for all of us. 

"Hey guys!" Armin called out to Mikasa and Eren in the distance. 

"Armin's grandpa managed to get a little extra by saying he had kids." I explained as I handed Mikasa a piece of bread while Armin handed one to Eren. 

"That was nice of him." Mikasa smiled. 

I then noticed a Garrison Soldier behind us as he let out a 'tch.' 

"What's his deal?" Eren asked suspiciously. 

"Just ignore it. There's a shortage. Poor man's probably hungry." Armin replied quietly. He looked down at the bread. 

"By the way, I'd make that last. They were already dealing with famine before we got here, so it's an ugly situation. That, and this far in there's a greater disparity between the haves and the have-nots." Armin mentioned.

We then heard a soldier murmur a rude sentence. "Guess we gotta beef up the herd, though. Eat up! The Titans like a little meat on their bones!" The soldier said jokingly. Eren growled to himself as he walked up to the man. 

"Eren..." I said in a annoyed tone.

He went up and kicked the man in the shin. "Ow! Damn it! You picked the wrong man, asshole!" The soldier said as he raised his fist and punches Eren. Another soldier kicked him over as well. 

"Spineless cowards! All of you! You don't know what it's like!" Eren shouted at the men. "You seen one? You seen what they can do?" He ranted.

The man stepped closer to him with a angry stance. I stepped in front of Eren with my hands out. "He's sorry! He really didn't mean it, he just woke up in the wrong mood today. We all get grumpy when we don't get our sleep sometimes?" I say awkwardly. I put my arms down. 

"Please forgive him." I bow down slightly. 

The man huffed in response. "Yeah, well keep in mind who's givin' up their share so you can eat." The man growled. I looked up with wide eyes. 

"In case you hadn't noticed, we're all hungry. Tell your friend a little gratitude goes a long way!" He yelled as he walked away. 

"Sure!" I stuttered with a smile. 

I hear Eren speak behind me and turn in worry. "Bastard. I'm not going to show gratitude to a coward!"

"I can't do this. I'm going back to Wall Maria. The Titans have to repay for what they've done to us." Eren hissed. 

I looked at him with a 'are you crazy' expression. "Hey now, you're not serious; that's your stomach talking." Armin said with a soft smile. 

Eren stood up in front of him quickly. "No it's not! Wake up, the guys standing between us and them are just a bunch of talk!" Eren shouted as he took a quick glance at the bread in his hand. 

"To hell with all of 'em! Here, I'm going back!" He shouted. He threw the bread at Armin, who struggled to catch it at first. 

Yeah? What're you trying to do, starve?" Armin said hesitantly. 

"When are you going to get sick of their charity? Too much is handed to us! We have to stand on our own two feet!" Eren yelled. 

"To do what, get killed by a Titan? I know I used to think our future was beyond the walls! But it's like you told that man! I've never seen what they could do to us!" Armin shouted back.

"So that's it? That's just the way life is? Run away and take what we're given?"

"Look at us! What choice do we have here?"

"We can damn-well leave! If you wanna scrape by on the charity of cowards, that's your thing! But I'm not a parasite!"

My eyes widened at his choice of words. 

Mikasa punch Eren square in the face on the floor. "Have you looked in the mirror lately? We're all parasites. We couldn't run from certain death without help. Tell me differently. Don't take you shortcomings out on him." She muttered.

"For God's sake, we can't even find food on our own. We're parasites. We're cowards. Titans are at the top of the food chain, period." Mikasa added.

"Pride be damned; we do what we must to live. Your mom didn't ask us to be brave." She finished. 

I took the bread out of Armin's grasp and shoved the bread in Eren's mouth. "Y/n!" Armin called out.  "Eat it. If she said to stay alive, then do it." I said. Eren gave in and accepted.

I saw Armin walking with his grandfather's hat on his head. I took it as Armin's grandfather didn't make it. I walked closer to him and hugged him. He held me tightly as he let his tears out on my sweater. 

"It'll be okay, Armin. Let it out." I sighed as I rubbed his back. He backed away after a while. "Let's go meet with Mikasa and Eren." I say softly. Armin nodded.

We all looked at Armin with worried faces. "We have to find a way to stop them. Our lives will never be our own until we do." Eren slid down next to Armin. 

"This world will never feel like home." He paused with a determined expression. 

"That's it. Next year, I'll be applying to join the Cadets." Eren said. I looked in my lap in worry. 

To become strong enough to fight back." Eren added on. 

"I'm with you." Armin said. All of our eyes turned towards him.

"You don't have to—"

"I do!"

"So do I." Mikasa said. 

"Damn it! I'm not trying to drag you in!" Eren protested. 

"We know." I sighed rudely. 

"Huh?! You're joining too? After all that stuff your dad told you, your going to go against him?" He questioned. 

I smiled softly and looked at the ground. 

"Yes, I am." I reply. 

Eren gasped in disbelief. "Look, there's no point in following me to my death!" He panicked. 

"Yeah, and if I can help it, it won't be your death." Mikasa replied to him. Eren stood up.

"Alright, together then."

"Straighten those spines, piss-ants! The 104th Cadet Corps Boot Camp starts now! Allow me to introduce myself: I'm Commandant Keith Sadies; and you will grow to hate me! Training is gonna be a white knuckle ride through hell! If I've done my job, you'll be waking up in a cold sweat from memories of this place every night for the rest of you miserable lives! Right now, you're nothing. Livestock. But I've the next three, soul-crushing years, you'll learn to take down you own Goliath! Remember this moment when you come face-to-face with him, 'cause here's where you ask yourself: Am I a fighter, or am I feed? Am I gonna be ground up to pulpy human grist 'tween Boulder-sized incisors? Or am I gonna be the one to bite?"

~

A/N: I was very desperate to finish this part of the anime for some reason- anyway I hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. Yes, I know that there is STILL not much of Armin x Reader parts, but I'm getting there.