He Told Me to Live

47 | Free

Ian and Eddie came running towards me and I grabbed Ian's outstretched arm and swung him into Eddie, who came two steps after. After knocking Eddie over, I let Ian go and he crashed into the wall.

Eddie kicked the back of my heels and I fell to the ground.

Alexander came plunging down from above and I rolled out of the way.

Eddie locked his arm around my neck but I jumped to my feet, flipped him over my head, and slammed him into the ground.

Alexander sped towards me and I dodged two of his quick punches, then was hit by the third.

I grabbed his wrist and maneuvered beneath his arm, pinning his wrist to his back as I pinned him to the ground.

"And that's twenty-three to two," Cinder said, placing a tally on the board in chalk. "I don't know why the last... twenty were necessary."

Ian groaned and rubbed the back of his head. "Geez, ever heard of holding back?"

"You told me not to."

"Yeah, when you weren't even trying to hit us!"

I glanced at the entryway, seeing Armin standing there with one of Historia's servants.

He had finally learned how to style his hair and his expression adapted to a more serious sculpt. Maybe there was some part of me that missed his longer, rounder hair. At the moment, however, I couldn't find that part of me.

"Armin," I called and he turned to me.

Despite no longer being in the same legion, he saluted to me and I nodded my head to acknowledge him.

"Continue sparring," I told the others as I walked to him.

I led him to the garden, which Historia had asked to be made to add more "life" to the castle grounds, and he walked next to me, gazing at the budding flowers as Spring rolled in.

"How has it been in Marley?" I asked.

It was a poor attempt at small talk since I already knew through letters, but Armin managed to save the conversation.

"Gabi and Falco have been living peacefully. Reiner still gawks over Historia, even though she's already married."

Historia's current suitor was who she was supposed to have a child with. She never quite mentioned having a child after that ordeal, but she was only 23, so she didn't need to think about it too much.

Although, she did receive minor backlash from her staff.

That being me.

"He used to be rude to you, Historia. He only felt guilty because he realized that you were royalty," I had told her. "If you weren't, he may have looked back at it and felt nothing!"

In my defense, my only exposure to romance other than Levi and I was... well, Mikasa and Eren.

"How's... Annie?" I glanced at his hands, wondering if he too had found romance in relationships of the past, only to find his ring fingers bare.

"She's fine." His face was flushed and he averted his gaze. "What about Levi?"

"He's been doing well. Given, he likely misses someone to kick." I looked down, remembering the talks I used to have with Eren.

Levi called him a brat, but I knew that he cared about him. We all did at some point.

"Are you planning on visiting Mikasa as well?" I asked. "When you're not on castle grounds, of course. I would invite her, but it feels cruel to try and take her away from the grounds on which she often settles."