You're Not Alone

•102•

I cling to Erens hair to steady myself as the ground shakes around me from all the debris falling from the sky. Bertholdt isn't holding back, he truly wants to destroy everything.

"Look at all those houses up in the sky," Connie breaths out in shock. "On of them could be yours, right Eren and Sophie? How does it feel to have your own roof over your head again? Get it!!??"

Connie let's out contagious laugh, making me smile slightly. Leave it to Connie to lighten the mood in such a dire situation.

"Sasha... could you smack him for me?" Jean asks.

Sasha listens to Jeans command and hits our friend in the head with the back of her thunder spear. I smile once more and then glance back to the Colossal Titan.

"It doesn't look like Bertholdt's knows our location," mikasa states.

"You're right," Armin nods. "He's just scattering burning debris to turn Shiganshina into a sea of flames."

"Not like he didn't do enough damage the first time," I growl.

The side of a house comes flying down at us, making me flinch as it falls near our group. It's a warning for us to get our shit together if we want to survive this.

"What's your orders, Armin?" Sasha asks again.

"Jean... Sophie... can you guys take over for me?" He looks over at us, fear and worry in his eyes.

"What?" Jean turns his attention down at Armin.

"I don't know what to do," Armin's voice shakes as he looks to the ground. "I'm worried I'll screw up. I made a mistake thinking we could talk to Bertholdt, and look where it got us. Please Jean! You're better suited for this!"

I frown, sad that Armin has lost the confidence he had during the search for Reiner and Bertholdt. Because people died when he decided to try and talk to Bertholdt, he now think he's not meant to lead. He's wrong though...

Jean let's out an annoyed growl and then looks up at me, searching for answers. His eyes flicker over to Eren and he takes a deep breath.

"Everyone on Eren. Make for the River! It'll conserve our gas!" He shouts.

I appreciate Jean taking charge, but it pains me to see that Armin is backing away from his position. He's smart enough to get us out of this alive, he just needs to believe it himself.

"Eren," Jean speaks to my brother, his eyes set and jaw locked. "At some point, we'll have to get Bertholdts attention, but until then, you need to stay out of sight."

Eren is crouched behind a building a little ways from the Colossal Titan. Armin, Jean, and I are resting on Erens right shoulder, holding onto his hair for support.

"Hey, Armin."

I look over at Jean who's now talking to our blonde friend. "I'm alright with judgment calls, but I don't have some genius plan for getting us out of this. In the end, you're the one we're going to be counting on."

Armins blue eyes flicker from Jeans to mine as he swallows a nervous lump in his throat. I sympathize with him, but Jean is a hundred percent right about Armin being the only one to get us out of this.

Eren maneuvers us around buildings, hiding from sight as we finish up the plan to take down Bertholdt. Well, no plan is being formed, but we're trying. As we do this, Sasha's head turns slightly like she's listening to something.

"What is it?" I look at her curiously.

"I hear a whole bunch of... I don't like rocks? I hear rocks hitting the wall where the rear guard is at," she frowns as she tries to concentrate.