The Walls We've Built - ◈ ARMIN ARLERT X OC ◈

Chapter 30 - Until we meet again

The next few hours were a blur of wooden walls, stale voices barking demands at us and sleep, lots and lots of sleep. I flicker my eyes open looking up at an unfamiliar stone ceiling, I slowly pull my body up into a sitting position warily aware of how weak I feel. Rubbing my eyes, my fringe falls in front of my face, followed by the rest of my hair. When we arrived at headquarters, we were all taken to a large classroom to be debriefed about today's events. However halfway through the presentation, myself along with several other severely injured soldiers, including Rosette were taken as the next group for medical examination and treatment. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was coming to this room with damp hair, fresh from a shower covered in bandages.

The light breeze whistling through the window catches my attention, the thin linen flows in the warm early evening air as shadows dance across the floor. I sit memorised by the patterns as they jump from place to place on the wooden planks. Chills lick my spine making me shiver, my hair is still cold and not dry. I am so used to having my hair back I didn't realise how long it has gotten. I try running my fingers through my hair, but they just get stuck in my thick brown locks, looking over to my arm it's the first time I've seen it not covered in blood and causing me immense pain. Little specks of blood have seeped through the dressing and the throbbing still lingers but soft enough that I can almost ignore it.

I slowly drag my feet out of the bed, setting them down on the crisp floor. Looking down at my nightgown, I brush myself off and try to stand up, something as simple as that now takes me lots of energy. I quickly grab the window seal to hold my weak body up, before shuffling over to the dresser.

A loud creek from the door captures my attention mid step, looking over to the entrance as Armin stands awkwardly in the doorway staring back at me.

"Hi." I croak, the first word I have spoken in what feels like years. He continues to look at me for a moment longer studying my face which is covered by my messy hair, as I stand weakly resting my weight on the window. He opens his mouth to speak before quickly rushing over to me.

"You're not supposed to be up yet!" he scolds me, weaving his arm around my waist pulling my good arm over his shoulder shifting my weight onto him.

"They said you have to stay in bed until at least tomorrow morning before you can start walking around." He mumbles redirecting my back to the bed, I look over my shoulder back to the dresser where the hairbrush waits for me.

"But..." I trail off as Armin sits me down on the bed, sitting next to me, resting his hands in lap. He stares at the floor without saying another word. Unsure of what to do since getting the hair brush is no longer an option, I pull the cover back over my lap, sighing in the silences as I do so.

"So if I'm not allowed to walk, do you think you could get my brush for me?" I ask Armin quietly, he quickly looks over to me surprised, "that one over there, on the dresser?" I finish pointing over to it. He simply nods his head before getting up and retrieving it for me.

"Thanks." I smile, taking it from his hand, our fingers brush as I grab it. He sits back down on the edge of the bed looking out the window. I begin brushing my hair awkwardly in the silence, I try to get out all the knots, but some are more stubborn than others. One in particular near the wound on my head making me curse under my breath, I quickly pulled away holding my palm to my head.

"Let me." Armin offers, gently taking the brush from my hand. Before I can respond he begins smoothly running the brush through my hair, his hand softly brushes my neck a few times as we sit in silence. Once he finishes, he puts the brush down on the table by my bed, standing up.

"I should probably go." He whispers, a hit of regret lingers in his voice.

"Wait!" I exclaim grabbing his hand before he walks away, he turns back to me looking at my hand wrapped around his. I quickly pull away hoping I didn't make him uncomfortable.

"Don't go, if you don't have to I mean-" I ramble on, "some company would be nice." I finish looking down at the blanket over my legs. I feel Armin sit back down again, this time closer than before, he lightly places his hand on the blanket, covering my leg.

"I'm really glad you're ok." He stutters, looking me in the eyes. I look back at him as if I am looking into his eyes for the first time again. It feels like we are back on the roof when I had jumped him thinking he was some type of enemy. I remember feeling so scared but now sitting with him, after everything we have been through all I can feel is safe and at ease. I swiftly wrap my arms around him drawing him into a tight hug, he takes a second before tightly hugging me back.

"I'm really glad you are ok too." I whisper, while still hugging him as he gently rests his head against mine.

"Thank you Armin, for everything." I mutter resting my head on his shoulder. He delicately strokes my back, "Thank you, Zariya." He whispers back.

"I would say get a room but by the looks of it you already have one." Jean mocks from the doorway. I jump in my skin, looking at him from over Armin's shoulder. I quickly pull away from him to prevent further mocking.

"No, no, go on, I wouldn't want to interrupt." He jokes, waving his hands for us to continue. I can't help but blush as I look out the window. Armin holds his head in his hand, before responding "Shouldn't you be drooling over Rosette or something?"

I can't help but burst into laughter as I watch the expression on Jean's face drop.

"I- I don't know what you are talking about." He mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. Armin sighs as he gets up walking over to him. "Come on, we need to let Zariya rest, plus the sooner we go the more time you can spend telling me about your 5 minute interaction with Rosette." Armin teases, pushing him out the door.

"What! I have never done that!" Jean defends, scurrying down the hall. Armin laughs under his breath before looking back at me with a wide smile across his face.

"See you later, Zariya." He grins, closing the door behind him. I feel the smile on my face get bigger making me flop back into my bed with a laugh.

It only takes a couple moments before a knock at my door echoes through the room. Before I can respond Gen and Jacob are bursting through the door rushing to my side.

"You're awake!" Gen exclaims throwing her arms around me, I try to hug her back before Jacob quickly pulls her off me.

"Geez Gen, relax! She didn't die, you just didn't see her for a couple of hours." He scolds her, still holding on to her shoulder. She shrugs him off before pivoting in her shoes to face him.

"I'm sorry who died and made you in charge of who can hug Zariya? Since when are you her best friend?" She asks him rhetorically but he replies anyway.

"Since always." he states quickly, making Gen scoff.

"Um, excuse me, you are not!" She gasps, defended.

"Am too!" he replies, "Are not!" She challenges again, making me burst into laughter.

They both look over to me with annoyed expressions on their faces, "What?" They ask in unison.

I grab them both by the wrist pulling them onto the bed, wrapping my arms around either side of them. "You guys are both my best friends and no matter how much shit we go through or how many titans we have to face that will never change. Because at the end of the day it always has been, is and will be the three of us, Gen, Jacob and Zariya." I tell them, hugging them close.

"Yeah I guess you guys are alright." Jacob mutters before Gen slaps him on the side of the head. He opens his mouth to complain, but I stop him.

"Don't," I warn. "Now where was I? That's right, you two are stuck with me for the rest of your lives, so stop arguing for one second and enjoy this rare, rare moment in time where none of our lives are in immediate danger ok?" I finish glancing at them. They both nod in response hugging me back, I smile to myself as I sit with my favourite people. As long as we are together we will be ok and like Amin said, I think I am finally ready to start breaking down these walls I've built and there are no two people in the world I would rather have help me do it. 

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