"Please! Don't hurt them! They didn't do anything! It's my fault! I was the one who stole everything! But I only did it to survive!" You cried while the two 12 year old children that you were caring for got thrown into two cages identical to yours. Their names were Eren and Mikasa. They claimed those names when you found them alone on the streets. You curled up into a ball and started to cry. A boy looked at you, curled into a fetal position, looking at your loose, old, white dress shirt and a long, blue skirt. "Papa, what did they do?" a small blonde haired boy questioned an older man who wore the Garrison regiment symbol on the back of his jacket. "They're savages. They've stolen countless goods, and we've finally caught the brats. And don't call me 'Papa.' Address me as 'Sir.' Got that boy?" The man growled. "Yes, Sir. I apologize." The boy walked up to you. "Hello." The boy spoke. You looked up, and your [e/d] [e/c] eyes locked with his ocean blue ones. "Why'd you take those things?" The boy asked. "To survive. I did it, I know, but I did it to survive! Those two kids, Eren and Mikasa, have nothing to do with it! Whatever those men say, don't listen! I'm not a bad person!" You grabbed the bars, and started to reach for his face, when a whip slapped your hand. You snapped your hand back, and the both of you looked up. "Armin, enough talk. Don't ever talk to her again." The man said. "Yes, Sir." Armin dragged himself up and began to walk away. "Armin," you whispered. He turned to look at you. "[y/n]. My name is [f/n]. Remember me!" You whispered. Armin gave you a warm, genuine smile and waved. Armin. You thought. What a beautiful name.
You were having a horrible experience so far. You were whipped, and was forced to carry your shackles everywhere, and had to sleep in a dank, damp, dark dungeon. But you were happy that nothing was happening to Eren and Mikasa. You heard that they had been adopted by a nice couple, and were now living happily. Good. You thought. At least they'll have a happy life without me. I hope that they forget about me. I don't want them to worry. With these thoughts, you drifted off into a restless sleep.
You were wandering around town with a flower. It was beautiful, and you had picked it in a field. As you walked around, you heard someone yell "STOP!" You turned to come face to face with a man. The man that seemed to be Armin's father. "Where did you get that flower?" The man asked. "Oh, I picked it in that field over there." You replied, while pointing to an empty field. "Oh really? I think your lying." The man grabbed you and started to drag you away. "No! Please! I didn't do anything!" You protested. "Shut up!" The man wheeled around as his hand came down hard on your face. As you tried to stand up, a hand appeared in your vision. You looked up to see Armin, with a smile on his face. You took his hand and he helped you up. As you started to walk away, you felt a kick, and you collapsed. You looked up to see the man again. As he dragged Armin away, he said "You don't deserve his sympathy." While he walked away, he gave a curt nod as men picked you up and took turns hurting you. You gasped and sat up in your chamber, with a hand covering your mouth. A cold sweat had formed and you shivered. Just a dream. You reminded yourself. Just a dream.
Today was your trial day. The guards threw you on the cold, hard ground outside. "Get up!" one of the men spat, as he kicked you in the ribs. He lifted you up by your [h/l] [h/c] hair. With a hard shove, you started walking to the courthouse, with shackles around your wrists. When you emerged from the dungeon, you squinted at the bright light that you had not seen for days. After a long trial, where you pleaded guilty, but adding that you were only doing it for your survival, you were sentenced to 250 hours (10 days) of working. During those 10 days, you would be sleeping in the dungeon. After that, you would be to the couple that was taking care of Eren and Mikasa. You were lucky that the court had pity on you.
You woke up early to start your work. You were unshackled, but many guards kept an eye on you. Your job was to clean up the streets and to not make eye contact with anyone. As you swept, you heard whispers. If the whispers passed by you, you would glare at their feet, but continue to sweep.
On your fourth day, you swept around the square when someone bumped into you hard. You tumbled to the ground, and immediately started to apologize. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am a nuisance, a horrible person, I--" You looked up to see him. Armin. He looked down at you with shock, sympathy, confusion and worry painted upon his face. "Hey, it's ok." Armin offered you a hand. This boy had shown you the most sympathy that anyone in the world had ever shown. You started to take his hand, when someone pushed you back down. You both looked to see Armin's father. "Get up, boy. Teach this scum a lesson." The man spat. "Why? It was my fault she even fell." Armin simply answered. "Why must you be so stubborn? She was in your way in the first place!" He growled. "Teach. Her. A. Lesson." The man commanded. Armin looked down at you. "It's ok. I... I deserve whatever is coming to me." "See? Even the girl believes that she should be punished!" He exclaimed. "Now, kick her and kick her hard." Armin started to kick you in the gut. You winced and took in a sharp breath. After a minute, Armin's father told him to stop. "Now, punch her." He commanded. Armin looked down at your fragile body. You were already bruising from the previous beating, and tears started to stream down your [s/c] face, across your pink cheeks. Armin straddled you, which damaged your body even more, and started to punch. You tried to cover your face with your hands, but they were pinned down by Armin's knees. He continued to punch you, with tears in his eyes. "Ok. Get up, Boy." Armin slowly rose. As soon as he stood, you rolled over, and covered your face with your hands. Armin looked down, ashamed with his behavior. "Good job, boy." Armin refused to look either of you in the eye, but glared at his father when he wasn't looking. Armin's father walked over to your curled up body. He kicked you in the back much harder than Armin. When you rolled over, he kicked you in the stomach, and kicked you in the head, when your world went black.
~Time Skip~
You woke up, bathed in white light. You tried to sit up, but you couldn't. You looked over to see Armin asleep in a chair next to you. You shifted your position, which aroused Armin. "[y/n]..." he murmured. He looked down at you and started to cry. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry [y/n]." Armin repeated over and over again. You raised a finger to his lips and whispered "Shhhh." You grabbed his neck and gently kissed Armin. A blush dusted Armin's cheeks. "It's ok. I understand. Are you ok?" You questioned. "Me? I'm more worried about you! You were practically beaten to death! Who cares?" "I do." you whispered. "Tell me everything that happened." Armin started from the beginning. How that man that you thought was his father was just his foster father, who he hated anyway. His parents ventured over the walls and never came back. When you were knocked out, Armin took you to the closest infirmary. You had a minor concussion, a few cracked ribs, and a spinal injury, that would eventually heal, and you slept for two straight days. Eren and Mikasa had visited you multiple times, and decided that when they were old enough, they were going to rejoin you. When the court heard about what Armin's foster father had forced him to do, they sentenced him to 50 years in the dungeons, as well as you getting off of community service. But, Armin didn't go unscathed by his foster father. When he found out what Armin did, he was whipped senseless. The neighbor overheard smacking and got the Garrison to check it out. When they entered, they saw Armin passed out with a bloody, scratched up back. The man had escaped from the window, and was later found hiding in an alleyway. Once Armin recovered, he was to continue your sentence. "Really?" you struggled to sit up, but Armin gently pushed you back down. "Relax." Armin murmured. "It's ok. I shouldn't have done what my foster father wanted me to do." Armin looked away with shame. "It's ok, Armin. I understand. Just promise me one thing." You grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. "Stay with me." You whispered. "Of course. Anything for my little bandit."
~Extended Ending~
You and Armin stood next to each other, awaiting the gates to open. Up ahead, you spotted Eren and Mikasa, looking as brave as ever. "[y/n]." Armin nudged you. You looked over to see your beautiful boyfriend smiling at you. "Everything is going to be ok." You smiled back, despite the fear churning in your stomach. You heard the gates open, and everyone charged into the open unknown.
