The Royal Guard | A.A

18

The day of the meeting, Armin and Y/n had secluded themselves in their room. When he first arrived back and Mikasa was still sitting with Y/n, he had let them both know about the outcome of the meeting and what the plan would be going forward. For the rest of the day, the air between them was heavy with unspoken words and tension. They avoided each other's gaze, lost in their own thoughts. As night descended, Y/n made her way to the balcony, the only place she could find solace in this suffocating atmosphere. She waited patiently for Armin to join her, as he always did, but tonight there was no sign of him. With a heavy sigh, she lifted her eyes to the starry sky above and shook her head in disappointment. Little did she know, Armin sat just inside their room, watching her from afar. He yearned to be out there with her, basking in her presence, but his fear held him back. His heart ached at the thought of losing any more time with her.

After she got injured, in that moment he vowed to himself to never waste a single second that he could spend with her. But now, as he sat alone in the quiet room, watching her from a distance, he couldn't help but feel guilty. He had no valid reason for keeping his distance; it was just an overwhelming sense of shame and regret that prevented him from truly being with her. It was as if he didn't deserve to be in her presence after what had happened between them. The air around him felt thick and heavy with unspoken emotions, and he couldn't bring himself to break the silence that hung between them like a heavy curtain. He was the one who put it there after all... 

The silence stayed between them as the night came to an end. Neither of them uttered a word, refusing to even meet each other's gaze. But the tense atmosphere couldn't last for long, as their unspoken feelings and unresolved issues simmered just below the surface, ready to boil over at any moment.  

The day after the meeting, the two were sat in an uncomfortable silence on their sofa with a pot of tea and their books, but the quiet of their morning was shattered by a loud knock on the door. Connie and Jean, dressed in their uniforms, stood at the other side of the door with sorry expressions. They had come to inform them that the safe house was ready, and they were expected to leave the castle as soon as possible.

After quickly getting dressed and grabbing their bags, they made their way down to the grand entrance of the castle where a carriage awaited them. This would be their mode of transportation to the place that would become their new home for however long it was that they were required to stay there. The air was crisp and cool, carrying with it the scent of fresh grass and blooming flowers. Mikasa, clad in her Survey Corps gear, would be escorting them to the safe house. Levi and Cee had ensured that it was cleaned immaculately, from top to bottom, and stocked with everything they would need to live comfortably. As they climbed into the carriage, anticipation and uncertainty swirled in their minds about what lay ahead in this new chapter of their lives.

Armin sat on the bench facing her in the carriage, his eyes fixed on Y/n with a longing expression. She gazed around at their surroundings as they made their way through the forest, her face lit up with curiosity and wonder. The last time she had looked like this, Armin himself was the reason. He had broken the rules and taken her away from the restrictive castle walls, eager to show her all the beauty of the outside world that she had never experienced before. But now, as he watched her from a distance, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for hurting her with his emotional distance. Each time he avoided her, it hurt her more than he could have imagined. He knew he was pushing her away out of nothing but care for her, he didn't want to hurt her, but to Y/n it was starting to feel like he was just another person she had lost without any valid reasoning. 

As the carriage pulled up to the house, Armin hopped out and began unloading their bags while Y/n thanked Mikasa for the ride. They walked up the steps and into their new home, breathing in the fresh air of a new beginning. Despite the reason for their move, Y/n couldn't help but feel an ounce of excitement bubbling inside her. This was a new chapter, a new sense of freedom filled her as she gazed around at their own little house.

The spacious interior had once been used as lodging for long-haul missions by the scouts, but now it was theirs to make into a home for the time being. Levi and Cee had done an incredible job of making it homely for the two of them, Armin almost couldn't recognise it as the place where he used to stay on missions. Just outside the back door was a small garden with a porch swing, perfect for relaxing under the stars. Cee knew all about Y/n's love for stargazing on her balcony and had thoughtfully included this feature in their new home. As she stepped out onto the porch, Y/n felt a wave of contentment wash over her. They were in the middle of nowhere, where nobody could approach her. 

She re-entered the house and ascended the stairs, seeing that Armin had placed her bags on the landing. With a sigh, she picked them up and made her way into one of the rooms to begin unpacking. The room was significantly smaller than her lavish quarters in the castle, but it held a sense of warmth and familiarity that she found comforting. Unlike the vast expanse of her previous room, space she could never seem to fill. This one seemed to fit her perfectly, like a puzzle piece finally finding its place. She took in the soft colours and cozy furnishings with a smile, grateful for this change of scenery. 

She stayed tucked into her room for the rest of the night, taking the time to settle in properly. She fluffed her pillows and arranged her blankets just how she liked them, creating a cozy nest for herself. With her favourite book in one hand and a steaming cup of tea in the other, she curled up in bed and wished that Armin was there to share this peaceful moment with her. Even if it was just his silent presence, like when he first started being her guard.

Meanwhile, across the hall, Armin laid in his own bed staring at the ceiling. He had made several attempts to lose himself in his book, but his thoughts were consumed by overwhelming feelings of upset and guilt. He couldn't shake the memories of her and the reasoning to why he pulled back from their friendship, causing distance between them. As he lay there, he couldn't help but wonder what Y/n was doing and if she missed him as much as he was missing her.