Lucky | Reader x Armin

Chapter 8.

As you approached the town you saw the wall. The closer you got, the more it seemed to tower over the buildings, dwarfing everything in its presence. The sight sent a shiver down your spine. You might not be the biggest fan of Marley, and you might have lead an unhappy life there, but at least you weren't spending every day in fear.

You wrenched your eyes away from it and back down to the town below. "Armin," you said as the horse began to slow as you entered the town marketplace. "Did you grow up here?"

"No," he said, "But close by, in Shiganshina."

You froze instantly. You had heard about that place in one of the many books you had read from Armin's library. You opened your mouth but Armin spoke before you could think of anything to say.

"We're here!" He said cheerfully. Before you knew it he had hopped easily off the horse and had both feet planted on the ground. He held out his hand to you and you took it as you awkwardly swung your leg over the side of the horse. He stepped closer now that you were sidesaddle and took you by the waist. You held onto his shoulders as he lifted you gently off of the horse.

"Thanks," you said, looking up at him.

"Of course," he smiled. You stood there like that for just a moment longer than you probably should have.

Suddenly breaking apart from you, Armin went to tie up the horse.

The two of you walked through the stalls of the market for a while. You were amazed by everything. Not that you didn't have the same things in Marley, but the way they were presented here just felt more... quaint. Maybe, honest, was a better word. You had never been to a marketplace where everyone sold their own handmade goods. Everything was exciting to you and having Armin by your side just made it more so.

The scent of fresh flowers and spices filled the air, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.

The vendors were all friendly, and they greeted you warmly as you passed by. They showed off their wares, inviting you to take a closer look. You saw beautiful handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and wooden carvings. You tasted exotic fruits and spices that you had never tried before, and they exploded with flavor in your mouth. You could see the pride and love that went into each creation.

You were just admiring some pine-scented candles and sipping on an iced tea that Armin had bought for you when you heard Armin saying hello to someone. You turned around to see who it was that Armin was greeting and you were surprised to see him approaching three, rather gorgeous women. You froze up slightly as you wondered if all of Armin's friends were this beautiful. One was short, had a sweet demeanor, and long golden hair. The second looked friendly as well and had her brown hair tied up in a ponytail. The third was the tallest, she had cropped black hair and a stern look on her face.

You knew you should probably approach them as well but somehow you suddenly felt like you shouldn't be here. When you heard how the brown-haired woman addressed Armin, all thoughts flew straight out of your mind.

"Hi, Commander!" She said cheerfully. "What brings you here today?"

You choked on your tea and managed to stifle most of the preceding coughs. Armin turned towards you.

"I thought I'd take Y/N, out for the day, she's been stuck inside since she got here." He said as he reached out towards you. He gently took your wrist and pulled you to his side.

"Ahhh! She's here!!" It was the brown-haired woman who spoke again. You got the feeling she didn't leave a lot of room for the others to say anything.

"It's nice to finally meet you. We've heard so much about you." Said the blonde woman kindly.