Indefinitely - Armin X Reader

Chapter 34 | Painful In Every Way

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Eren and the Female Titan's fight

I galloped across the plain as fast as I could possibly go, urgently trying to return to the place I was so desperate to leave mere minutes ago. My mind was crammed with painful thoughts that were playing on repeat, the pain in my side jolting every so often that it could be considered soothingly rhythmic, much to my confusion. The pain was less unbearable - now it was just a reminder that I was still alive. Armin's calls finally ceased, and my heart almost shattered.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I'm so sorry for leaving you. But I swear on everything I hold dear, I will see you again."

You've already saved me, Armin.

Screeches were coming from the forest, jolting, starting and stopping before starting again, like some battle was going on.

No doubt it is a battle, between Eren and... her. But what could bring him to let out a scream so painful? Oh god... where's Mikasa? And what about the Levi Squad? Wouldn't they have been able to handle the Female titan? 

The screaming started again, and I gave a shudder. I'd reached where the trees started, and hastily swapped to my ODM gear. 

"I'll come back for you." I reassured my horse and she started grazing near where I had left her. I didn't want to lose her after just getting her back. I took an unsteady breath as my gear put pressure on where I had hurt my ribs. 

Please, please be okay, Eren. 

I maneuvered throughout the trees with impressive precision, even for me. The adrenaline rushing through my body made me aware of every sound of movement. I saw a few titans wandering around the trees below me, but I ignored them. I could only pay attention to one thing, and that was the agonized screaming coming from ahead of me. 

"Eren, no!" I heard Mikasa cry from somewhere nearby. 

No...

I tried to fly even faster, tears starting to prick at my eyes prematurely. 

He has to be okay... I can't lose him... 

Through the last few trees that separated me from my brother, I saw a sight that brought my heart to a stop, every beat lasting for hours in the haze that was my mind. The Female titan, jaw unhinged like a grotesque puppet, tore Eren from the nape of his titan form. On the ground, I barely noted the bloody corpse's of Levi's squad. 

"Eren!" I screamed, voice shrill. "Give him back, you bitch! Give him back!"

As the titan started running away, I gave chase. Mikasa was beside me, screaming her own desperate pleas as she attempted to slice through the Female titan's tendons, moving with such power that I could never achieve. The titan tried to grab Mikasa out of the air but missed. I attempted to act in the confusion, flying close to the ground and attempting to slice her ankle to stop her from running. I managed to make contact, slicing my blade through her right ankle, sending her falling to her knees. 

Yes! You aren't getting any further, bitch. 

Once she landed, she whipped her head around to stare right at me and swiped at me as I flew past. I only just managed to miss her grasping hand, however her hit collided with the tree closest to me and the bark from its trunk seemed to explode and hit me in midair. The force of the chunks of splintered wood knocked me from the sky and sent me falling to the ground, my controls slipping out of my hands.