Nightmares Are Just Twisted Memories

Armin watched helplessly as his grandfather walked away after placing his hat onto his head "Be a good boy now Armin. Be strong, be wise, and what ever you do keep fighting."

Armin looked up with tears streaming down his face, his legs shaking involuntarily before he broke into a run "Grandpa!" he cried out as he reached out and clung to his grandfather's pants with his small fists "Please! Please don't go! Please!" Armin sobbed, his lip quivering as tears rolled down his round face.

"Hmm..." his grandfather smirked and turned to Armin, kneeling down on one knee he looked at the small boy "Now, Armin you know that I can't do that, what I'm doing right now...what will happen is for you. I'm doing this because I love you and I want you to continue where we left off."

"I don't care! I want you Grandpa! I...I don't want to be alone! Please don't leave me!" sobbed Armin still clinging to his grandfather. That's when Armin's grandfather smiled and said as he pried the small boy off him "Armin, people who can't throw something important away, can never hope to change anything. Do you understand?"

Armin sniffled and nods as he stepped back with much hesitation and trembled like a leaf, he hiccuped softly and rubbed at his nose as his grandfather stood patted his head roughly and turned away.

Those who were being sent to retake Wall Maria boarded the ship, the sky darkens and thunder rumbles loudly before lighting struck directly behind the ship causing everyone aboard to scream out of fear.

Armin watched horrified as a large Titan appeared, he was about fifteen meters tall and muscular, its eyes were a greenish grey or greenish blue in color while its hair looked familiar but different in a way.

The monstrous creature roared and smashed the boat to pieces with one kick and scooped up a handful of the refugees tossing them into its mouth as if they were popcorn.

It reached down once more and this time plucked up Armin's grandfather, the elder man was screaming and begging for his life, begging Armin to help him.

Yet all the small boy could do was stand there wide-eyed as he watched frozen with fear.

The monstrous Titan smiled and turned to Armin "Lets go outside the wall, Armin! Lets see those salt rich oceans and sand fields."

'That voice!?'

The Titan laughed and tossed Armin's grandfather into it's mouth chewing noisily "What's wrong heretic? Don't you like what's beyond the walls!?"

The Titan twisted forward running at Armin, the small boy cries out in terror and stumbles in a lame attempt to get away, but falls flat on his stomach, the beast leaps at him and opens its jaws wide-

Armin jolts awake panting as if he had run a mile, looking around the room nervously, he was relieved when the only thing that could be heard were the soft snores and sighs of the other sleeping bodies near him in Survey Corps quarters. Tears clouded his vision and he draws his knees up to his chest, relieved it was all a dream, despite how long ago he lost his grandfather he hated being alone. No matter where it was, the feeling was sickening. He wished he had a sibling, like Eren and Mikasa had each other.

Despite what they may say, Eren and Mikasa are siblings, adoptive siblings but they were siblings none the less.

Armin sniffed and looked down at his white sheets, more preciously the foot of the bed, there sat the brown hat that his grandfather used to wear every place he went. Armin scooted closer to the headgear and picked it up, he held it close to his chest as his eyes produced fat tears and his voice quaked as he tried to swallow down the tears, past the large lump of grief that was caught in his throat.

He only knew one way to get back to sleep, and this was now risky to do since it isn't just himself, Mikasa, and Eren. There were about twenty others in the dorm and if they saw this he could get Eren and himself a bad reputation, or laughed at.

But it was the only way he could cope, so he took his chance. He swung his feet over the side of the bed and hopped off since it was several inches away from the floor, his bare feet hardly making a sound as he walked toward his friend's bed. Knowing the exact spot the bed was located by memory.

Armin crept up toEren's bed and peered down at him, his hands gripping the hat as he whispered his friends name softly.

Eren stirred but continued to sleep. "Eren...Eren please wake up..." Armin said shaking, he gently shook Eren to help wake him up faster.

Eren grumbled irritably and opened one eye "What?!" he growls softly, annoyed that he was awaken from a wondrous dream of him and his mother.

Armin stood before Eren much like a child would who had just awoken their older sibling, he hid his eyes behind his bangs and clutched the hat near his chest like it was a teddy bear.

"I had the nightmare again..." he said softly.

Eren stared upat him for a moment before sitting up, knowing exactly which nightmare he was talking about "Oh...did you...you know...like last time too?" Eren said teasing, but he realized that that wasn't the best approach "N-No! A-And you promised not to bring that up again! Some friend you are!" Armin said his voice trembled as the look of horror crossed his face.

"Friends promise not to bring it up again, best friends bring it up again to help you feel better." Eren said as he scooted over in his bed to make room for the younger male.

Armin didn't hesitate to climb in next to Eren, he settled down and laid there, not moving, not shifting, just simply laid there.

That is not until Eren scooted closer to Armin and wrapped an arm around his chest, only then did Armin move he rolled over facing Eren, his cheeks flushed as tears filled his eyes. Armin closed his eyes and the built up tears rolled down his face "I miss him Eren, I miss him so much!" He said softly.

Eren rubbed his friends back, in a lame attempt to comfort him "I know...we all miss those who were taken from us too early." He said softly as he continued to rub Armin's back.

"Do you often think of her?" Arminasked his voice hardly a whisper with a sleepy drawl entering his voice a sign that he was well on his way to falling back to sleep "Your mom I mean..." Armin mumbled as his hands balled into fist around the brim of the hat. Eren froze, he did think of her. He thought of her a lot, he often dreams of her too, but he never told anyone about it.

He looked down at Armin, his eyes were closed, his cheeks had the wet tracks of tears left behind as his breathing had slowed. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, Eren watched him for a short time before settling back into a comfortable position his had still rubbing Armin's back.

He recalled earlier memories of his childhood, back to the nights where he would lay pressed against Mikasa after his mother had been killed. It was something about Mikasa that comforted him, maybe it was because she was older? He didn't know but it never bothered him. He also recalled the time when Armin's grandfather was first deported, those nights Armin would sleep near Eren. But when he got news of his death, Armin would never leave Eren's side, for he was afraid to be alone.

Eren looked down at his blonde friend, he regretted the things he told him when he was younger, he never intended to hurt Armin.

"You weak punk! You're nothing but a spineless coward! How can you even think you're going to go out of these walls if you cant even handle being alone! Huh!? HUH!? You good for nothing cry baby!"

Eren recalled the devastated look on Armin's face, at that moment he didn't care but now he felt bad, he knew it was himself, what he had said those cruel words forced Armin to push himself past his limits. Forced Armin to prove he wasn't a coward, instead of Armin proving it for himself.

He looked down at Armin, he was sleeping soundly now that he was at Eren's side "How can someone like you still be my friend after all the cruel things I said to you?" Eren asked rhetorically.

He ran his hand through Armin's hair and smiled as he bent his neck so he could kiss the top of Armin's head and closed his eyes falling back to sleep.