Girl from Mitras ★ A. Arlert

Chapter 24 - Orvud

They stood and looked at the titan, who was simply immense: if it stood up to full height, it would be higher than the walls, but, for some reason, it moved very slowly and mostly crawled.

- It's the size of colossal titan, if not bigger...

- What, or rather... who is it?

Armin and Y/N looked at each other.

- He emerged from the spaces of the underground chapel where everyone was left... And where the hell is Eren?

- Armin, calm down. I don't think we have any options now but to wait and see what happens next. In any case, if no one shows up, we should go to Orvud District. To warn people. This's the nearest district.

Y/N noticed that Armin was nervous. His eyes were darting back and forth, he shifted his hands. She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

- «Calm down, breathe», she started stroking his back, trying to give him a sense of security, even though her gaze was directed towards Hange, who was still unconscious.

- Y/N... can I hug you?

She returned her attention to him. His cheeks were a little red, but only a little. There was concern in his eyes. Therefore, she decided not to answer him, but wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him.

- «We coped with things even worse than this, everything will be resolved somehow...», she whispered into his chest.

Armin was embarrassed by her blunt gesture, but he still wanted to hug her. He missed that feeling all this time. An evening in the library came to mind when he failed to be direct and persistent. He wanted to be decisive, like most of his friends. Y/N helped him to believe in himself, next to her he felt capable of much. Unfortunately, that sense of confidence in her presence completely evaporated the moment he thought about opening up to her. Especially after she changed. With what composure she confronted that soldier, how she single-handedly spied in the palace for the Survey corps, how persistently she went to her goals. He felt that he didn't deserve her. That no matter how strong his feelings were, it wouldn't be enough. He wasn't strong enough, he wasn't brave enough, he wasn't persistent enough... He wanted to be worthy of her.

- Hmm, where am I...

- Hange, you're awake!

Y/N gently pulled away from Armin, who still continued to stand in the same place, immersed in his thoughts with a fairly reddened face. She walked over to Hange, helping them to their feet.

- How do you feel? Something hurts?

- «The head hurts a little, and it's hard to breathe», they touched themself. «What's on me?»

- I made an elastic bandage in case something is broken. You were unconscious, and I didn't dare to examine you...

- Thank you, Y/N, where are the others and... WHAT IS THIS?!?!?

- «It» crawled out from under the ground where the underground chapel was located. It moves towards the walls. It's a titan, but it's... not like a normal one. And not like Eren, it's... I don't even know what it is, or rather who it is...» Armin answered her. «And the rest - after Jean asked to look after you, Y/N and I dragged you outside, we didn't see anyone else. From what I understand, they have begun to move into the more distant chambers of the underground chapel, where Eren and Historia are supposed to be, but they're still missing...»

- How long was I out?

- With all this, we somehow didn't keep track of time, but I think that maybe half an hour, but no more...