𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 | 𝐀𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I jolt up with a gasp feeling hard tree bark cutting up my hands, I feel immense pain throbbing below my waist I look down and caught with the sight of my cape tightly wrapped around my leg.

I move my head away from my legs taking in my surroundings, I see Bertholdt beside me while Reiner is below us on another tree branch.

"I'm sorry if you're still bleeding out, or in pain. I didn't want to remove your clothes without your permission."

Bertholdt tells me quietly I don't say anything still in shock at what is going on, "who cares about her! Look at me!" I hear a voice yell I look down again and catch sight of Ymir and Eren, as I look at them everything hits me.

Tears begin to fall from my eye as I grip my hurt leg, why couldn't they just have left me for dead?

"I'm, uh, not in any better shape here. Seems we're all having a shit day." Ymir speaks up her eyes trail to me, she gives me a soft smile as I continue to cry.

"Ymir. What did they... What did they do to me?" Eren asks quietly looking down at the stumps of his limbs, Reiner scratches the back of his head.

"Sorry. That was my fault. You can pin your injuries on me, guess I was in kind of a hurry back there. Bit your nape without thinking about your arms."

Eren places his head down in a sad manner, I wrap my hands around my body trying to wrap myself in a hug.

"Is that right? So. I lost." He speaks lowly I watch him as he looks around at everyone and places his hand into his mouth, chomping down on it.

I sigh turning my head away from the sight and beginning to speak. "It's no use, Eren they're going to take you no matter what."

My voice is barely above a whisper from all the screaming I've been doing; I feel like there is acid sitting in my throat burning me every time I just sallow.

Ymir grabs his hand out of his mouth, "easy there, hothead. Take a look at where we are. This is the giant forest within Wall Maria, Wall Rose is leagues away. Which means we're deep in the heart of Titan country. I think our buddy down there is abnormal; it may look like he's just kicking back, but those eyes haven't left us once. Plenty of tiny ones too, and then they're these chumps."

She then places her gaze on us; she looks towards me and keeps her smile.

"Dirty bastards, except Adelita I feel like. They had the foresight to suit up in gear but left her high and dry. Point is, changing into a Titan isn't going to accomplish very much right now. One, they can do the same thing if they want. Two, they can zip into the trees if not. Three, we're basically surrounded on all sides. Power or no power getting out of this would be tricky as hell, even at the best of times. You read me, there is nothing to gain being a dumbass."

"She's right." Reiner cuts in I turn to look at him.

"You can't turn into Titans right now anyway. Don't count on that ability coming to the rescue. The body can only take so much, it's a little preoccupied with healing at the moment." Eren doesn't listen to a word he says, instead lowering his eyebrows in a challenging way.

"Nice try. You expect me to sit here and take the word of a liar?"

Ymir places her hand back on Eren, I lay down on the tree watching as birds fly by.

I can hear Ymir's voice in the background, demanding that Reiner begins talking.

I only let out a choked sob while pointing to the bird in the sky, "I wish I was a bird." I sob out everyone turning to look at me. "And then I could fly and see the sea with Armin." I sob out even louder, "I just want him to stay my friend!" I scream out not even directing it to anyone.

"I'm beginning to think she likes him more than a friend," Ymir states boldly while watching me cry.

I hug myself while I begin to cry to myself silently, Reiner sighs and turns his focus back to Eren and Ymir.

"We're taking you to our hometown. Of course, I realized that neither of you were going to do as I ask. Like Ymir was saying, though, this place is crawling with Titans. They're everywhere. We could beat the living shit out of each other if that's what you want. But I wouldn't recommend it, our friends down below are hungry and not prone to discriminate. Whether you try to cut and run or stick around, believe me when I say our options are limited. We wait for nightfall."

"So, why didn't you just stay in Titan form and run all the way home?" Reiner crosses his arms and stares down at Ymir rudely.

"Why don't you use your imagination?

"So, are we just going to sit on our asses till the sun goes down?"

"It's a possibility."

I look down at my leg I'm in so much pain I think I'll bleed out before sunset; I look up to Reiner and tug on his pants he looks down at me.

"I think I'll lose all feeling in my leg before sunset," I tell him quietly he looks at my leg nodding his head.

"Yeah, you probably will." I get irritated by his half-assed response, "I wish you just left me. Can't stand you."

I mutter while bringing my hands to the cape on my leg and holding it tighter in place, I deserved to be left behind. Why would he bring me?

I'm starting to sweat as I feel my body getting tired. "Hey, Reiner. Got any water? Help a girl out, I'm dying over here."

"Sorry, there isn't a hell of a lot I can do. Besides if there was water Adelita would need it, she's starting to catch a fever."

I swipe the sweat off of my forehead with the back of my hand, while taking deep breaths.

My vision starts to go in and out and I can't focus on anything, I tug on Bertholdt's shirt taking deep breaths as I talk to him.

"I'm going to sleep, don't wake me up I want to sleep for as long as possible."

Blackness consumes my vision as I give in to the temptations, I smile as I drift off to sleep where nothing can bother me.

-----

A/N

sorry for the long paragraphs in these chapters.

-lei <3