|𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠e𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞| ᵃʳᵐⁱⁿ ᵃˡᵉʳᵗ

|15| The Enemy Is One Of Us

*Warnings: Language.*

-PARADIS-

They were stranded. All but one horse had fled, leaving the four of them in the open with no way back. Well, two of them could leave, but three or four people on one horse, that was out of the question. Reiner suggested they start figuring out the two people who were going to stay behind. Armin volunteered immediately.

"If Armin's staying, I'm staying too," Y/n said as she got up off the ground, finishing wrapping the bandages around her leg.

"No, you're going back," Armin told her.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Armin, you're going back," Reiner agreed. Jean couldn't care less since he was still whistling for his horse.

"Okay, then Armin's coming back with me," she told them as Armin shook his head.

"No, I'm staying here, you and Jean or Reiner would do better out there," Armin protested.

"So what? You're just gonna stay here and die?" Y/n asked him. During their bickering, Jean had sent out an emergency smoke signal since Armin had mentioned earlier that 'row four, squad three' should be around the area they're currently in.

"Hold on guys, I don't think anyone will have to stay here and die," Jean said, getting everyone's attention. A blonde figure was riding towards them, a horse on either side of them. "And they've got two horses!"

Y/n took a couple steps further to get a closer look. "Holy shit, it's Krista!" Y/n started to wave her arms above her head. "Hey Krista!"

"Hey guys! You alright!?" Krista shouted back as she neared.

"Better now that you're here!" Jean shouted back as he reunited with his horse.

Y/n hopped on the back of the horse, wrapping her arms around Armin's middle again. This time he didn't seem to tense up as much. They were going to get back into formation, though assuming that they would retreat soon. To their surprise they saw green flares shoot up. So, were not retreating, only changing course. The Commander has definitely got some issues. We're supposed to be heading South, but we're going East instead. I hope Annie knows what she's doing.

They ended up making it to the large forest, the trees of which looked like they were planted by titans. The trunks were at least five-ten people wide, and the height was well over fifteen meters. The center rank headed straight through the forest, while everyone else went around. Suddenly they were stopped by a higher up. He told to take a position in the trees, and that if any titans entered the forest, to stop them.

Jean started complaining about hiding in the trees, everyone tried to ignore him, but his voice is pretty hard to ignore when he's talking at a volume that people the people in Marley could hear. The titans started to pile up at the edge of the forest, everyone getting angsty about killing them if they came in.

"Hey," Sasha said to Y/n from a short distance. Y/n could tell something was wrong by the tone of her voice.

"What's on your mind Sasha?" she asked her, scooting a little closer.

"You saved me that day, in Trost right?" she began, a little shakily.

"Yeah, that was me," Y/n replied, not knowing where this was going, but keeping a calm and comforting tone.

"Would you do it again? Like today if I didn't quite kill it and I was about to die, would you swoop in and kill it for me?" Sasha asked.

"I'll protect you until I die Sasha," Y/n told her. Maybe she was stretching the truth a little bit, but if she had the opportunity to save Sasha every time she could, she would. She'd do it because she cares, and maybe she wont be able to do that forever, but if it makes Sasha feel better now, then that's all that matters.

"Yeah, I'll make sure you don't die too early then," Sasha chuckled as she went back to making sure titans weren't going to enter the forest. Y/n stared at Sasha a little longer than she should've. That isn't a devil, that's a girl.

She looked over to the other tree beside her, Bertholdt was there. He was already looking at her, he had listened to her conversation with Sasha. Y/n gave him a look, it was the same look she gave him the day they killed Marco, the same look the day Marcel had died, the same look she took the blame for that rifle. They never talked to each other much, because they had a different kind of bond. They noticed each other from afar, they knew each other so well, all because they paid attention. He shook his head at her. He knew what she was thinking and he knew she wasn't allowed to think it.

Suddenly, a large scream echoed from inside the forest. From that, all the titans that were trying to climb up the trees and eat everyone had rushed inside, completely ignoring them. Annie's got a plan now, I hope she's okay. Everyone started to rush after them, trying to slow them doing. Y/n was about to follow until Sasha stopped her.

"No wait! That scream! I've heard it before, in the forest around my home in the middle of the night. The only things that scream like that are dying animals that have nothing to lose! It's calling for help!" She shouted. Sasha's got amazing survival instincts and she's spot on, I gotta give her that.

"I know, Sasha," Y/n said.

"Then why aren't you terrified?!" she shouted back.

Because, the titan that screamed is controlled by a lesbian blonde who referred to me as her 'sister', I'll be fine. "I am terrified Sasha, but this mission is much more important," Y/n answered. Though before she could go down to help, blue flares shot up into the sky. They were withdrawing back to HQ. "Oh see, were done already, Sasha."

-

On the ride back, Armin shared his theories with Y/n who was still clung to his waist, and Jean who was riding beside them. "They might have already discovered The Female Titan's identity. Think about it, during the Trost invasion, did you find it odd the way the titans halted their advance midway through. They must've intended some purpose when they destroyed the front gate, but they never made a move on the inner gate. Nor did they interfere with Eren when he sealed the inner breach. Something must've happened that made them revaluate their plan entirely. Something drew their focus away from the walls destruction, something that forced them to call off the attack. Eren's transformation seems to the be most logical conclusion. It means, they were there, whoever called off the attack saw Eren transform. It means the enemy is one of us."

Armin's brain is gonna get him in trouble one of these days. I'm afraid if I was told to kill him, I wouldn't have any other choice. Getting rid of Armin seems like the perfect gameplan either way, I'm glad Reiner or the others aren't here to listen to this, they'd probably get the same idea I have right now. The only difference is, they'd go through with it.

-

1.2K Word Count