Wanting You. | An Armin Arlert FanFiction. | Attack on Titan.

four

"Erika!" Jean called, immediately going up to hug her. "You made it," he whispered against her ears. "We were worried when we didn't see you but-"

"I was with Armin and Connie. But we got separated along the way. They went to help Mikasa. And I assume they have yet to return," she panted, returning his hug.

"Not yet," he sighed worriedly.

'Armin, please survive,' Erika's heart prayed silently.

"Who's that?" Erika nodded to behind Jean. The boy looked backward, seeing Erika's motion towards the corpse that lay bloodied on the floor.

"I think he was one of the cadets assigned here. I guess he just couldn't take it anymore," Jean theorized sadly.

"Oh well, sucks to be him," Erika pursed her lips with a shrug, earning a shocked look from Jean. He watched wide-eyed as the girl stood up and walked toward the corpse. She then crouched down beside it, her hands going up to his shirt.

"Oi, Erika, what are you do-"

His words were interrupted by the loud sound of Erika tearing the corpse's shirt. Or at least the clean part that lacked bloodstains. Jean watched in shock as the girl took the strip of clothing and brought it up to her neck. She swiftly slid it under her hair, both her hands carrying each end of it upwards. She then proceeded to tie the cloth into a hair tie for further practicality.

Upon seeing Jean's shocked expression, all she could say was, "What? He's clearly not going to need it."

Just then, another window broke into pieces due to the entrances of the remaining three cadets. Erika's eyes instantaneously latched onto the familiar blue-eyed blond, her legs rushing to bring her to him, relief flowing through her. 

Her attention was diverted upon hearing Jean's yells. Her head snapped in his direction, seeing him hold someone by the collar before being stopped by Marco. Erika let go of Armin before walking up to Jean and Marco to investigate what the commotion was about. She overheard the words of one of the soldiers regarding the disaster in the supply room.

"Well now that's a big problem," Erika sassed, a hand on her hip as she exhaled with frustration. "Almost feels like everything we did to get here was for naught."

"So what? Are we just supposed to give up?" Jean groaned angrily.

"I never said that," Erika scoffed, her head slightly shaking. "How many Titans are down there?"

"I- I don't know!" The soldier cried.

"Hmm, that's alright," Erika hummed. "This is the headquarters of Trost. I'm pretty sure there's got to be some weapons here that can help us."

"You mean like rifles?" Marco lighted up.

"I suppose that could work."

"Some of us will go search. The rest of you go down first," Jean said to Erika, earning a nod from the girl.

As discussed, Erika and the others went down to the basement, a level just above the supply room. They took the time to rest while waiting for Jean and some other boys to return with their findings. 

Erika was sitting with Mikasa and Armin, her legs laid out as she stretched to ensure her body's physical state. Her fingers played nimbly with the pendant of her necklace, her ears wide open to the story told by Connie of how the trio was saved by an Abnormal Titan who showed no interest in eating them but instead fought other Titans. 

It brought up an interest in Erika, obviously curious to know more about said Titan. An Abnormal Titan is still a Titan nonetheless, just with less predictable movements.