━━━━━━
THE AIR IS THICK WITH smoke, a cacophony of destruction that Juliet can't block out. Inside her Titan, her body moves as if detached from her will, each step of the Fighting's foot crushing houses beneath her. The sound of splintering wood and crumbling stone echoes louder than she remembers, reverberating through her very core.
And then, there are the screams.
The desperate cries of families scrambling for safety pierce through her, sharper than any blade. They rise and fall in waves, drowning out even the thunderous roar of the Fighting's footsteps.
Each voice feels like a dagger, twisting deeper into her heart. Her vision blurs as tears spill uncontrollably, streaking down her cheeks, the saltiness stinging her eyes.
She wants to stop. To freeze. To fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness from the people whose lives she's destroyed. But she can't. Not when everything has been set in motion.
In the distance, she catches sight of the Armored Titan, his giant form nearing her within each second. She could feel Annie's small body in her hand, being held by a rope attached to the Fighting's finger. However, the thought of Reiner and Annie doesn't bring her comfort. It only deepens the pit in her stomach.
Juliet's breaths come in sharp gasps, her shoulders heaving as she struggles to keep moving. Her hands tremble, even in her Titan's form, as she destroys the town, and the walls, like they're nothing.
But it isn't nothing. Inside, she knows, are lives, memories, and people who had no idea this day would come.
Before she knows it, she jolts awake, her breath hitching as the nightmare loosens its grip but leaves its heavy weight on her chest. The remnants of screams and destruction linger in her mind like an echo, but the cold, hard reality of the past gives way to a softer presence.
She feels Armin's warmth against her, his head nuzzled into the curve of her neck, his arms wrapped securely around her as if shielding her from the world. Her arms are draped around him as if instinctively seeking the same comfort. His breaths are soft and steady, brushing against her skin in a rhythm that should be soothing.
But her heart pounds relentlessly, the vividness of the nightmare refusing to fade. She tilts her head slightly, her gaze falling to the window where the night has settled deeply over the world. The faint glow of the moon spills through, casting silvery light across the room.
Juliet stares at the ceiling, her chest rising and falling in uneven beats as she wills herself to calm down. She tries to focus on the present—the warmth of Armin's body, the steady rise and fall of his breathing, the stillness of the night. It's a world apart from the chaos she had just endured in her dreams.
But sleep feels unreachable, her mind too afraid to let go, too afraid to return to the memories that haunted her moments before. She blinks away the burn of tears, swallowing the lump in her throat as she fights the urge to wake Armin. He looks so peaceful and the last thing she wants is to disturb that.
YOU ARE READING
judas | armin arlert
FanfictionJuliet Diekman is the daughter of a well-respected Marleyan scientist who works alongside the military. In a new proposal, he is asked to go on an expedition to Paradis for research purposes before planning their big attack. He agrees, only if his b...