𝔇𝔢𝔣𝔦𝔞𝔫𝔠𝔢 (𝔏𝔢𝔳𝔦 𝔵 ℜ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔢𝔯)

LII - His Heart

Titans in the walls, four words that changed how we viewed our alleged stone protectors, forever.

***

"At least this means he won't be summoned to the royal capital." Jean voices, a tone that was not quite readable. I sat on the floor in Stohess Headquarters, back leaning against the bed that was behind me. Mikasa sat in a chair facing the bed with a straight posture that seemed nearly inhumane. Armin had his face buried in his arms and knees as he sat on the bed and Jean stood leaning against the wardrobe that was situated at the foot of the bed. Eren laid unconscious, peacefully, under the covers and light, shallow breaths escaped his parted lips.

"Yeah." Armin mumbles uncovering his face.

"It's still hard to believe it was her." I mutter, resting my fingers across my forehead. My head fell back onto the bed as my eyes roam aimlessly over the ceiling. "A year of teaching her and she wasn't in any way suspicious. Either that or I overlooked everything she did. God, I'm so lost."

"There was no way you could've pieced anything together with nothing to build from." Armin reassures.

"I still can't help but feel as though this entire thing is partially my fault." I reply unnerved. The room fell silent at my guilt laced words until Armin sighed.

"Head up, Y/N. We're down a threat for now, the only thing we can do now is move forward from here." He says.

"He's right. After all that has happened since the expedition, this is that small window of hope and reassurance that we've craved." Mikasa agrees. I muster up a small smile.

"You're both right." I sigh. "One foot in front of the other, we move forward."

***
~The next day~

"We're stuck in Sina for how much longer?" I ask Hange as she brings a cloth to her glasses that were resting between her fingers. I stood in the Stohess Headquarters mess hall, the furthest corner from the entry door holding necessities for a nice hot cup of tea. I pour water in my cup, watching as the bag and water together create the dark brown liquid with such a bittersweet scent.

"I'm not entirely sure. We'll be here until Erwin decides what to do with us in the meantime. He believes there are more shifters within our forces, people that aren't Eren or Annie." She says, a light wrinkle deepening between her brow when I glance at her.

"And here I thought you'd be excited about something like this." I tilt my head slightly, squinting in a devious manner.

"It was exciting thinking about just the female titan, but knowing there's more than just the two we're aware of and the high possibilities of their goals being against our purpose, then there's no reason for me to get my hopes up about experiments on pursuers." She voices putting her glasses back on, a long sigh following as she drags herself to a table a few steps away.

Removing the teabag from my cup, I dispose of it before leaning back on the counter, crossing my ankles over and eyeing the woman curiously.

"You're a good person, you know that?" I smile. She gazes at me from beneath her eyelashes, a light glint reflecting off the glass shielding her eyes. She remains unresponsive, my eyes eventually wandering somewhere behind her. "You put other people's needs before your own. Not a lot of people in the walls have that sort of willpower or selflessness. No matter the adventure, no matter the possibilities. I admire that about you."

"You're selfless too, maybe even more than me." She replies, elbow leaning on the table as she crossed her legs over. "Stubborn, but in the most altruistic way." I let out a chuckle, eyes falling to the ground briefly before meeting her eyes ago.