The Grey Angel (Attack on Titan x OC)

Chapter 60

-Nora Ackerman POV-

Armin was going to go after Connie. I had a bad feeling... Armin and I were still kind of fighting and I didn't want to let him go.
"Armin, wait" I heard Mikasa say through the door. "Connie has too much of a lead now. You won't reach Ragoko in time. And besides... there's nothing you could say if you did catch him. You really plan to ask him to give up on saving his mother? You think that's right?"

"Yeah, I do" Armin answered. "And even if I am bound to fail... I still have to do everything I possibly can to save Falco. Because if I don't... then Gabi will never come to trust us. It's crucial that we win her over. Reiner and the Cart Titan are still out there somewhere and I believe she is the best hope we have of creating some kind of truce with them. It's not as if the issue of Titan inheritance is going away any time soon. If worse comes to worse, we can end up in another struggle of control over the Nine. Repeating the wars of the last 2000 years. But on this tiny little island of ours. Honestly, I'm so exhausted all I want to do is make up with Eleanor and sleep next to her for the next couple of days. But human history is passing through a bottle neck right now. So the actions we choose to take could have a huge impact on the future. He can't go through with this! So yeah, I'll tell Connie that his mom might need to stay a Titan forever. See you later"
I walked away, my bad feeling only got worse and worse...

-Armin Arlert POV-

"Armin..." said Mikasa before I opened the door. "Any idea what I should do?"
"Seems likely that Jean could use your help" I said. "You'll have to figure out the rest for yourself"
"So what will we do?" she asked. "About Eren?"

"How the hell should I know?!" I yelled. "Who says that there's anything we can do?! Not only are Hanji and the Captain probably dead right now and if we get on Floch's bad side we might get to joint them! Let's see, what else? Oh right! Nora is a ticking time bomb and Annie is probably back in action! And what's left of the military's chain of command has been shattered! It's in chaos! Also, Historia is probably in danger right now, along with the Azomabito clan, Niccolo and the volunteers from Marley. It's too much! There's no point in worrying about Eren! We can't stop him! He's a lost cause! Why can't you understand that?!"

I realised what I just had done...
"Sorry" she whispered.
"If you were talking to Commander Erwin right now..." I said. "There's no way he would've snapped at you like that. I guess we know for a fact now. Captain Levi saved the wrong person. He should've chosen Erwin"
I left the room and went to my horse.

~

"Armin" I turned around and saw Nora...
"Nora..." I said, I didn't dare to look her in the eye.
"Look at me" she said and touched my face. "I'm sorry"

I was surprised and looked into her eyes.
"There's a lot happening, I don't know if my father is still alive..." she whispered. "And I took it out on you. I should've realised you were struggling with a lot of things as well. So... I'm really sorry, Armin"
I hugged her tightly and she hugged me back.

"I'm sorry too" I whispered. "I should've been more understanding"
"I hate fighting with you" she chuckled and I touched her face.
"Me too" I whispered.

"Be careful" she said. "And come back to me"
"I love you" I whispered, knowing it might be the last time I say it to her.
She kissed me softly on my lips and smiled.

"I can tell you I love you when you get back" she said and it surprised me.
'She knows... of course she does...'
She took a step back and ruffled the hair of Gabi.

"Get Falco back" she said. "And don't do anything stupid. Also, please look after this idiot for me"
"Hey" I said and she chuckled.
"Come back soon, okay?" she whispered and squeezed my hand. "Come back safely"

"We will" said Gabi and Nora smiled.
"Be careful" I said and kissed her one last time. "Just go along with Floch for the time being"
"I will" she said and her hand slipped out my hand. "Don't do anything stupid"
It was the last thing she said before Gabi and I rode out...