Indefinitely - Armin X Reader

Chapter 1 | Bullies

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Time - Eren, Mikasa and Y/N help Armin

The sun was still high in the sky when it all started. 

Everything seemed normal at first. It was just another day that I had been spending with my family, wandering through the streets of Shinganshina. I was with Eren and Mikasa, as normal, on our way trying to find Armin when we started hearing yells somewhere off in the distance. I didn't hesitate before starting to run towards the sound, Eren and Mikasa following at once. Eren was running way too fast for how far away the sounds were, with Mikasa keeping up with him effortlessly, her red scarf flowing like her long black hair. The walls that surrounded us were as big and looming as ever, however I knew that as large and sometimes constricting as they were, they were protecting us from something much worse; the titans. We lived in Shinganshina, a city on the edge of Wall Maria. I had lived there my whole life with my brother Eren and adopted sister Mikasa, along with my mother Carla and father Grisha. 

It was a humid sort of day, cicadas buzzing in the distant fields. The marketplace was full of people thronging, many selling and little buying. The path we were taking ran a few streets behind the bustling area, the sort of place you'd go to avoid the crowds. The air blew hot against my skin as I wheeled a corner,  heading further away from the city center. The walls grew more dirty, the stones growing more and more haphazardly placed; it took concentration and a keen eye not to stumble on the rocks that would seemingly rise out of nowhere. 

Eren, at his fast pace, had quickly caught up to where I was. My eyes narrowed as I could now see the source of the loud yelling easily heard from a few streets away; the three bullies who seemed to make it their mission in life to torment Armin. I saw a lanky brunette spit something towards the small blond who had been shoved in to the rocky wall behind him, clutching on to the dirty collar of his shirt. I let out a loud yell of disgust, drawing the bullies' attention to be me instead of the boy they were hassling. Armin's gaze shot to us, his panicked yet defiant eyes softening in to reluctant relief and mild humiliation. 

"Hey, back off!" Eren yelled as we ran toward them, approaching rapidly. Even though he was clearly running out of breath, his pace never faltered, too determined to reach Armin.

I heard what appeared to be the leader shriek, and he turned hastily to run as he caught sight of Mikasa and myself, and it didn't take long for the other two to work out that they were about to enter a fight they couldn't win. Even though it was only four versus three, and we were considerably smaller, they all knew that Eren and I fought with a certain ferocity that couldn't be curbed, and that Mikasa and I were stronger then we looked. With that, they sprinted away from us and didn't even look behind them in their haste to escape, dust flying behind them.

"Pick on someone your own size, assholes!" I called out at their retreating figures, coming to an unsteady stop beside Armin. I knew my remark wouldn't stop them from trying again the next time they found Armin alone, but I still felt like I had to do something; try anything to deter them.

"Ha!" Eren said triumphantly, almost tripping as he tried to slow down next to me. "That's all it takes, I'm just that scary." He grinned and put his hands on his hips, chest heaving as he sucked in air. His brown coat was half slipping off his shoulder, soft green shirt already damp with sweat due to his physical exertion; he was gonna stink like sweat later. 

Yeah, right. It's not like seeing Mikasa run at them with that murderous look in her eyes was the real reason.

"Well, some of you are." Armin mumbled, looking at the ground.