Your horses galloped through the tall blades of grass; the forest you were once camping in cleared out as you were now roaming within the open fields. You passed homes that once stood tall, but were now devastated and left to decay, letting nature take hold of them. You could still see remnants of human life; scattered clothes, old toys and books, singular shoes that were clear signs of those who once owned them, left in a hurry.

Then, you had finally arrived to Connie's hometown: Ragako.

After the events of last night, the atmosphere between you and Armin has not gotten any better. If things were awkward then, they were more uncomfortable now. As soon as you woke up, you and Armin got to work clearing up the campsite and heading off again, not even sparing much of a glance to each other. Of course, the two of you still said "good morning" to each other and did some small talk regarding the plan, but that was pretty much it.

Your feelings were all over the place, and you had last night to blame for that. The more you played back what happened from start to finish, the more you noticed a pattern of emotions you would feel at a time. First, you were embarrassed. That moment when Armin was staring at you with want, a part of you at the time wanted nothing more than to throw yourself onto him. But thinking about it now, the thought made you shudder. What would have happened if you had allowed him to kiss you? The tension in that moment was more than just romantic; it was downright sexual. You were glad you didn't give him the chance, or else Gabi would have woken up to a horrible sight.

Next, you were hurt. Angry. Armin was hell bent on kissing you, with another woman on his mind. What the hell was he thinking!? And to top it all off, when you confronted him on it, he didn't even try to argue with you. Because he knew his argument would be nothing but excuses and lies. You couldn't believe that after all these years, those tender moments you shared, you would think he's made his choice now.

You let out a sigh, sparing a glance at the said boy who was right now consuming your thoughts. His brows were furrowed together, his eyes focused on the environment in front of him, and his bottom lip was curled between his teeth. He was deep in thought, too. You were somewhat relieved that you weren't the only one failing to sweep the events of last night under the rug. But at the same time, he could be thinking of something else.

Lastly, you were confused. I think you both were. You two nearly kissed each other! Almost crossing a line–a boundary that good friends should never do. Not only that, but Armin almost confessed, revealing that he's had feelings for you this entire time. You were still unsure of your feelings. Yes, you liked Armin, but now was not the time to figure out romantic relationships. Maybe once all of this blows over, you can start opening up your heart.

In other words, you would have been happy. Hearing a confession might be something you've needed right now. And if his and your feelings weren't complicated right now, you would have worked something out. But that didn't happen. So now, you two were in untouched territory. What do you even do after your best friend nearly kisses you? Are you guys still friends? Would you move on and try to forget that any of it ever happened?

There were probably many solutions for this, but you think the one you and Armin collectively decided to choose was to act like it didn't happen and worry about it later. The priority right now was to honor your late best friend's wishes by saving Falco (who you also grew to somewhat care for) and to save another one of your best friends from making the biggest mistake that can cost all of your lives. Then, you guys would have to deal with the main problem you had on your hands. Eren and the Rumbling.

Silence continued to sit between the three of you as you followed down the dirt road, trailing through what used to be a village. It was once you spotted a chocolate-brown steed tied near an abandoned stable that you knew Connie was nearby. You all slowed to a stop.

Armin turned to both you and Gabi. "Alright. I think we should all plan before we approach Connie." He says.

"I say we go and jump him from behind." Gabi quickly suggests. You wanted so badly to shake your head at that, but you didn't want to discourage her.

"Part of my original plan was to talk about offering myself up. But I doubt one of you would be willing to agree to that." You suggested, eyeing Armin a bit. Armin's brows furrowed.

"Unless you have a better suggestion?" You asked. Armin tried his best not to be annoyed.

"I say we talk to him first. It will make things worse if we try to get physical with him." He advised.

"I doubt he wants to talk it out. Especially since he would know why we're even here. How can we even be sure if he listens to us?" You asked.

"I'll make him listen," Armin affirmed. "Trust me on that."

You let out a sigh. "I get what you're trying to do, Armin, and I'm not saying that's a terrible plan. I'm just saying Connie won't listen to what we have to say if we don't play into what he wants. Why do you think I'm planning on offering myself to his mom? At least from that point, he might be willing to listen." You rebutted.

"You're not offering yourself up, Y/N. I won't allow it." Armin argued. You rolled your eyes.

"Okay, fine. Then tell me exactly how we're going to make him listen. Let me guess, you're going to try to open his eyes and make him see what he's doing?" You ask. Armin held your gaze.

"Yes," Armin answered seriously. You were taken aback.

"...You're joking?"

"I'm not."

"Armin..."

"That's exactly what Connie needs right now. Someone to get him to open his eyes to see what he's doing. A push in the right direction."

"More like a–" You began to say, but Gabi jumped in.

"A punch or a kick!?" Gabi asks. You smiled at her. "Exactly that. But too bad that will make things worse." You turned your attention back to Armin.

"Armin, this is exactly why I told you that you were treating me like a child. Just like me, Connie knows exactly what he's doing, and he knows it's wrong. He probably doesn't want to do this, but what other choice does he have? This is an opportunity to save his mom, and he's doing whatever it takes. He's desperate, and people who are usually desperate are beyond reasoning."

"So that's what this is about! You're desperate to save Falco that you're willing to sacrifice yourself!? Connie cares about you, too! Have you ever stopped to think about that!?" He argues.

You and Armin continue to go back and forth, none of you showing any signs of backing down. Armin kept arguing for a peaceful route, carefully thought out, but you knew it was a guaranteed failure. You kept suggesting using yourself as an offering, which Armin would argue wouldn't work, and you were still an important person. You were getting more and more frustrated.

You let out an annoyed grunt. "Enough of this! We're wasting time!" You snapped the reins on your horse, and it let out a sharp neigh as you began to move.

"Gabi! Let's go!" You ordered. She snapped her reins before quickly following after you. Armin quickly did the same.

"Y/N! WAIT!"

"Don't try to stop me, Armin!"

Just as you rounded the corner, you were relieved that you had made it just in time. Falco and Connie seemed to be in mid-conversation as they stood in front of what used to be Connie's home. There, collapsed beneath it, was a paralyzed titan. Its big golden eyes stared wide; you weren't even sure if it was blinking. Its frame was frail, built with nothing but skin and bones. You felt sorry for it before, but now learning that it was Connie's mother made staring at it more emotional.

The boys hadn't noticed you three had arrived. Gabi didn't say anything as soon as she saw Falco.

"Falco! Get away from him!" Gabi shouted. Falco whipped his head back as soon as he heard her voice; his eyes widened.

"Gabi!?" His eyes landed on you next, and he was even more surprised. "Y/N!?"

"Gabi, don't—!" You tried to shush her, but it was too late. Guess Armin's plan on approaching Connie peacefully now blew out the window.

"Run! He's trying to feed you to that titan!" She warned him as loudly as she could. You cursed. This wasn't good.

Before Falco can even process what she's said, you notice Connie drawing his sword from behind him.

"Connie! Stop it!" Armin yelled. But it was too late. Falco was snatched up from behind, a blade being pressed against his neck.

"Stay back!" He orders.

The three of you skidded to a stop, dust shooting up clouds. Your body lurched forward a bit, but you managed to keep yourself steady.

"Connie!" Armin called out.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear from you! Don't say anything!" Connie shouted, pressing the blade closer to Falco's neck in a threatening manner. "You wouldn't know how I feel!"

As the three of you dismounted from your horses, you put a hand in front of Gabi. As much as you wanted her not to say or do anything, she's not going to listen to you anyway. What you could do is stop her from trying to run forward.

"You're going to tell me it's better to keep me alive, right!? That's why I should give up on my mom, right!?" His eyes swelled up with tears, teeth gritting with derangement and sadness.

"I'm sure someone as righteous as you wouldn't understand an idiot like me!" He yelled at Armin. Neither of you said anything. Armin didn't even know how to respond to that. You expected this, so you weren't really surprised.

Armin tried to find the right words, anything to ease Connie away from the cliff he was willingly able to jump off to. If Connie went through with this, there was no going back. His mission would fail, and there'd only be more hell to pay than they were already indebted to. No words left his mouth, agape from shock. You had to take charge now.

"Falco! Use the power of the Jaw!" Gabi blurted out, doing whatever she could to get Falco out of this. But Falco was even more confused, memories still wiped as an aftereffect of inheriting a titan.

"What? The power of the Jaws? But didn't—what about Mr. Galliard?" Falco sputtered. Connie was carrying him up the ladder, bringing him closer and closer to his doom.

You looked over at Armin one last time, watching him stand there helplessly. You scoffed. His plan of peace backfired badly on him. He didn't know how to get Connie and Falco out of this.

You raced forward, catching Connie off guard. He began to hurriedly climb up the ladder against his old house, closing in the distance from the ground to the opening mouth of the paralyzed titan. You skidded to a stop in your tracks, clouds of dirt and dust erupting.

"WHAT ABOUT ME!?" You shouted. This was enough to stop Connie in his tracks, his eyes widening. Silence loomed over all of you, sharp and sudden, as if the world itself had stopped to listen. Even the rustling trees seemed to hold their breath. Connie blinked.

"W-what?" He asked. He wanted to catch your bluff. You were joking, right? You weren't saying what he thinks you were saying. But your expression didn't falter.

"Feed me to your mother instead!" Your voice of declaration was enough to snap Armin out of his shock. He began stepping forward.

"Y/N, DON'T–!"

"Stay out of this, Armin!" You ordered. At this point, you were beyond reasoning; no matter what he says, he won't talk you out of it. He turns his attention to Connie, his next best hope of stopping your sacrificial intentions.

"Connie! Don't listen to her, please!"

"You want someone to feed to her? Fine! I've killed. I've sinned. I've watched people die! Falco might not be any different from me, but he's just a kid! He didn't ask for any of this. Don't you dare pretend it's the same. If you're going to become a murderer, at least kill someone who deserves it!"

"..." Connie opened his mouth and closed it again. He didn't know what to say. You were serious, hell bent on sacrificing for a child you barely know. As much as he wanted his mother to be saved, his priorities started to shift.

"No..." He spoke.

"What!?"

"I said no! What the hell are you talking about!? I'm not feeding you to her! Are you insane!? I'm not letting you die to just make me feel better!" He argued.

Okay, you take back what you said. Looks like your plan is failing, too. You let out a huff, stepping a step forward. You were not about to back down yet.

"Why not!? I'm a titan shifter! Just like Armin and Falco. The only difference is that I only have a year or two left to live. The only thing my family has used my titan to do is cause everlasting pain and destruction to the innocent. Including me, I'm not innocent either. At least the one heroic deed I can do is to give it to someone who might deserve it!" You held a hand to your chest, your fingers tightening their hold. Your clothes began to wrinkle as you tried to ease the anxiety in your heart.

"That's what this is about!? You think throwing yourself away makes you a hero? You think I care about the sins you and your family caused!? You think this will fix anything!? Make your guilt and pain stop? 'Cause it won't—it'll just cause more pain. For everyone. For me!" Connie's voice was raw with emotion. His sudden confession has taken you off guard. This time, you didn't know what to say.

Funny. You've heard those words before. Eren tore you up the last time you've had a conversation with him. Mocking you about your desperation to be some kind of "anti-hero", atoning for your sins. Guess hearing it from Connie, your actions were way too obvious. You shook your head at the thought. No. Eren is wrong. This situation is different.

"You're not some replacement. You're not Falco. You're not me. You're YOU! You're the person who taught me and Sasha how to improve our combat skills. You're the person that Sasha grew to love because you always gave her food and looked out for her! You're the person who managed to change Jean's perception of you. You're the person who tried her best to comfort me about what happened with my mom, even though I never looked like I appreciated it! You're the person after everything, I still consider you a friend!" At this point, tears were streaming down Connie's face. You felt your throat throb as you tried to hold back a shaky sob.

"You don't get to die for me. You don't get to carry this!" He shouts at you.

His words were enough to bring you back to your senses. Realize the weight of your actions. Realize what you might be leaving behind if you decide to go through with this. It didn't hit you now how many people outside of your trio of friends cared about you. Ever since you began to talk again, you thought their feelings may have changed. That they saw you in a different light, someone like Bertholdt, Reiner, and Annie, who hid among them. You could have chosen to end them all, but you chose not to. In the end, they all still cared deeply about you.

"What am I doing?" You thought to yourself. Then your eyes locked on Falco, his eyes wide with terror and confusion. That's right...Your goal was to save Falco. No matter what it took. Connie wasn't moving, now was your chance.

Without thinking for another second, you rushed forward. By the time Connie was able to register what was about to happen, you were already closing in on the paralyzed titan. You were nearly there when you heard a signature whoosh sound of someone flying with the ODM gear.

"Huh!?" You froze in place as your eyes landed on Armin landing on the wooden beam above Connie's mother.

Connie's blade pressed against Falco's neck once more. "Hey! I said Stay back!" He shouted at him.

But Armin didn't seem to be listening to him. Instead, his eyes were looking into the stretched-open mouth of the pure titan lying below him. His eyes were wide, his expression unrecognizable. You realized quickly what he was about to do.

"Armin!? What the hell are you doing!?" You demanded from him. He briefly looked away to face you, his expression changed slightly. Almost as if you say, "You were right.".

Armin continued not to say a word, not budging an inch. You began to panic as you hurriedly climbed up the ladder to stop him. At this point, Connie wasn't concerned with you getting closer. His eyes were focused on Armin as he started to put two and two together.

"Oi...what are you planning to do?" He asks him. No reply was received.

"Say something, Armin!" Connie snaps, his voice sharp as he demands an explanation.

"You told me to shut up, didn't you!?" Armin snaps back. "That's why...I'll show you through my actions."

"Connie, stop him!" You shouted. But it was too late. Armin jumped.

Time seemed to slow down as you and Connie watched in horror as Armin's body fell closer and closer to the open mouth of the titan below him. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as your mouth opened to scream.

"ARMIN!!" You screamed, nearly leaping off the ladder in a desperate act to save him.

Seeing what he was about to do, Connie abruptly let go of Falco. The boy began to fall from the height, but you were luckily there to catch him. Your eyes turned back to Armin, who was saved merely seconds from his doom as Connie tackled him from the side. The titan's teeth slammed together, nearly missing, and making contact with Armin's boots.

The two land roughly on the ground a few feet away. You let out a heavy, relieved breath as you hurried down the ladder. As soon as you touched the ground, you gently set him down.

"Don't move yet." You ordered. He complied and let you check his body for injuries. Once there weren't any, you placed both your hands on his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" You ask softly. Falco could only muster a nod.

"Uh-huh." He replies. That was all you needed from you before you bolted towards your friends from afar. You rushed past Gabi, who was booking it to Falco, giving him a bone-crushing hug as soon as she was near. As you were getting closer to reuniting with your friends, Armin and Connie were slowly sitting themselves up. Armin was the first to see you running towards them.

"Y/N–" He didn't finish his sentence before he was suddenly knocked back a bit. Your body collided with theirs, wrapping your arms around both of their necks, crushing them in a tight hug. It was quiet for a moment before quiet sniffs could be heard from you. You didn't bother trying to hold back your tears as you sobbed.

"Y/n?" Connie asks, genuinely confused about how fast you bolted to them. You didn't reply, only sobbing louder as you were being hit with new waves of emotion. You almost lost Armin. He was going to sacrifice himself. The thought of what could have happened to him scared you.

Next, you were ashamed. Ashamed that you were about to do the same thing. Even more ashamed that you were willing to throw yourself into the titan's mouth right in front of Armin and Connie. The thought of how Armin could have reacted, knowing he couldn't save you, terrified you even more.

"I'm sorry..." You cried out. Both boys looked over at you; they didn't know how to react. Armin nearly tried to throw himself into a titan's mouth, and Connie just saved him. They were both still processing what happened, and now, on top of that, you were a sobbing mess apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said I didn't matter. That I was replaceable! That I'm doing things just to feel better about myself. I'm so sorry!" Tears continued to stream down your cheeks, and the dry dirt road below you was slowly being soaked with droplets of your tears.

Armin blinked a few times before his eyes started to water as well. He slowly wrapped his arm around you, his hand on the back of your head as he held you.

"I told you...you mattered." He says. Connie was slowly getting awkward in the hold, but that doesn't mean he didn't at least appreciate the hug. He placed a tentative hand on your back.

"Yeah..." He agreed with Armin. The three of you stayed in that position for a while, none of you refusing to let go. Eventually, your sobs quieted down into occasional sniffs, your relief fading out. Now that you apologized and saw that they were okay, you could move on to the other emotion you were feeling.

The grip you had around the boys began to tighten; it was slow at first, so they didn't notice. But gradually, they began to feel a tightening pressure around their necks. They both looked over at you.

"Um, Y/N? You're–gripping us kind of tight..." Armin tries to say, but he suddenly chokes on his words as it suddenly becomes hard to speak.

"Y-yeah. C-can you loosen up a bit? It's getting—hard to breathe." Connie began to choke out. You didn't reply, only squeezed tighter.

At this point, Armin and Connie were gasping and grunting for air as they tried every means to loosen your grip on them, but every attempt only made your hold tighter. Your brows were furrowed as you stared off into the distance in anger.

"Y-Y/N—please–"

"Please, what!? So now you're worried about the possibility of death!? You were so ready to jump into a titan's mouth without a second thought, so this should be the least of your worries." You cut him off. You began to fall back, bringing them both down with you. Your tight grip remained on them as they desperately tried fighting their way out.

"I-I wasn't trying to–"

"Wasn't trying to what!? I swear, you two are unbelievable! You both think I'm crazy for offering myself up. But guess what? You did it first, Armin. How the hell was that any better than what I was doing?" You then turned your attention to Connie.

"And you! The reason I went down a spiral and made the plan to sacrifice myself. You were ready to kill Falco! A kid! And now you're mad at me for trying to do the same thing you were!? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!"

Your commotion brought attention to Gabi and Falco. They both looked at each other and then back at the three of you again, watching the scene with amusement and slight fear. Gabi secretly hoped she didn't piss you off at all the whole time, and if she did, it was best to keep quiet so she didn't get in a headlock.

"I should crush both your necks and see if it knocks any sense into your heads! But I still care enough about you two to not commit a double homicide." You gave them one last tight squeeze before letting them go. They both gasped and sputtered for air as they frantically got away from you.

Armin got on his knees, his hand around his neck to soothe out the soreness as he coughed onto the ground. Connie also had his hand around his neck, taking in deep breaths as he rubbed his sore neck. You let out a huff, the last of your anger going away.

Both men wanted to argue that what you did was uncalled for. But the way your fists were still balled up, they weren't going to risk making you angry again.

And also because they might have deserved that.

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You sat along with Armin and Connie, although they made sure to put some distance between you and them in case you tried to choke them out again. You kept making it clear you weren't going to again, but they weren't taking any chances. Not like you could blame them.

After your outburst, it was relatively quiet between the three of you. Connie would take a few glances at his mom here and there, but her big golden eyes weren't focused on him. He was ashamed of himself. He let her down. He let out a defeated sigh and looked over to Armin, who seemed to have his sights on you instead.

You weren't looking at him. Instead, your sad eyes were on Gabi and Falco. Gabi told Falco about his new titan powers, including how he gained them. Gabi knelt on the ground, holding Falco into a hug as he cried into her arms. He was mourning the loss of his brother. You wanted to join them, but you felt like you didn't have a place to. After all, you are still a stranger to them. You could only mourn Porco all by yourself.

"What would you do if I hadn't saved you?" Connie asks Armin, bringing his attention back onto him.

Armin tried to play it cool like he wasn't just staring at you for the past couple of minutes. He shifted his gaze away to the ground. "Your mother would've turned back into a human." He answers.

"And she'll inherit the Colossal Titan?" Connie shook his head at the thought. "I should've known that it would just end up making her suffer more." You shifted your attention back to your two friends talking.

"My mom sent me off, telling me to be a good soldier. And yet, her son...was close to killing children and his friends. That's the kind of soldier that I've become." Armin lifted his head to see Connie staring down at the ground, holding his hands tightly on his lap. Armin then shifted his gaze back to the ground.

"So do I." He said. You and Connie looked over at him. "I couldn't become Commander's replacement."

The three of you sat in silence for a moment. Connie watched Falco crying into Gabi's arms. The reality of what he was about to do was hitting him. He couldn't believe he was so determined to sacrifice an innocent kid. He was blinded by the want of his mother to be normal again, which clouded his better judgment. It was why you even wanted to offer yourself instead. You knew Falco didn't deserve to be killed, and he was too blind to see that.

"Armin. I want to be a soldier my mom can be proud of." Armin lifted his head again. "Let's go save those in need."

Armin nodded his head in agreement, happy that Connie was developing a new attitude. The two of them stood up, their hands fell into a handshake before Connie pulled him into a hug. You just watched the two boys, glad that things were okay now.

"Thank you." You heard Connie mutter. Armin didn't reply, but instead patted him on the back before he turned away. Connie turned his attention towards you.

"Thank you too, Y/N." You let out a dry laugh.

"I...didn't do anything." You were again downplaying yourself and your actions. Connie let out a huff. He made his way over to you before ruffling your hair, earning a whine from you.

"I'm pretty sure a couple of people back at home would beat the shit out of me, Armin included, if they heard I fed one of our friends to my mom." You rolled your eyes at that. But Connie wasn't finished.

"And because...Sasha wouldn't have wanted that. Pretty sure she would've haunted me for the rest of my life if I allowed you to do it." Your eyes became glossy as you swallowed thickly. You looked away before letting out a shaky laugh.

"Yeah, she definitely would. But I think she'll go a little easy on you. She would have come and beat me up as soon as I stepped foot into the afterlife." You joked. That earned you a light-hearted laughter from both Armin and Connie.

"Let's get out of here," Armin says. Connie went off to get his horse while Armin made his way over to you. He held out his hand for you to take, and that was when events from last night came flooding back.

You hesitantly slipped your hands into his, not wanting to make this any more awkward than it needed to be. He helped you onto your feet, and you quickly let go of his hand to dust yourself off. You opened your mouth to speak, but Armin beat you to it.

"Are you okay?" He asks you. You blinked, as you weren't expecting to hear that question from him. That was the last you expected from him.

"Uh...yeah? Why?" You ask. Armin's expression held concern. You may look and sound okay, but he knew you weren't.

"No. I mean...is everything okay?" He asked. You lowered your gaze, shifting uncomfortably. That question made more sense now.

"No..." You answered honestly. You haven't gotten the chance to properly grieve Porco. Now that Falco has been saved and there is no need to sacrifice yourself, the pain and reality of his death is settling in more harshly now.

"..." You began to blink back tears, subconsciously rubbing your face. Armin placed a gentle hand on your shoulder.

"It's okay to cry. I've got you," He says softly, and that was it. That was enough for the water dam to break. For the second time today, you let the tears fall.

You placed a hand on your mouth as you began to sob into it. Armin gently wrapped his arms around you in a small hug as you continued to cry.

Porco wasn't the best person to you at first. When the two of you met, he was one of the people who picked on you. You were short, naive, and an easy target. It didn't take long for his bullying to get to you. He was the reason behind your first blackout. Even now, you can remember the scene in front of you. You were being pulled off of Porco as he held his broken, bleeding nose. Your fingers were bruised and stained with blood.

Porco's family was beyond livid when they learned what happened. But once they found out who you were and who your family was, they went quiet. Since then, Porco hasn't bothered you, but that didn't stop him from trying to talk to you. You had a feeling Marcel was the one who told him to make amends with you, but that became the start of learning more about him. You sat with him under a tree, and the two of you talked for what seemed like hours. It was the start of him respecting you and you respecting him. You saw him as a friend ever since.

And now he's gone. Gone before you can even meet him again. Gone before you can even explain to him why you've left and apologize for it. Not like he would bother hearing you out anyway. You began to cry harder at the fact.

Eventually, you ran out of tears. Your eyes were puffy red from crying again, cheeks burning and wet with tears. You cleaned yourself up before facing Armin again. It's not like you hated crying in front of people; you just hated how much of a mess you were when crying. Armin gave you an affectionate squeeze on your shoulder.

You let out a heavy sigh, signaling to him that you were done. Armin gently brushed strands of hair from your face, but you flinched away. You gave him a look, and he got the message. He was not about to be affectionate when he still had complicated feelings to sort out.

"Are you hungry?" He asked you, trying his best to lift the mood. You stared at him for a couple of seconds before you burst out laughing. He just keeps surprising you. Armin giggled back, happy he could make you laugh. He never got over the first time he heard you laugh aloud, and he'll do whatever it takes to keep hearing it.

"Thanks for the reminder. Been a while since I had a good meal." You turned your attention to Gabi and Falco, who looked to be ready to go.

You approached them carefully, Falco being the first to spot you. He quickly wiped any remaining tears before straightening up. Gabi did the same. They stiffened, expecting either the best or the worst things to come out of your mouth. Instead, you gently smiled at them as you placed both of your hands on each of their heads.

"You guys like pie?" You asked.

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The town of Shiganshina was a stark contrast to the dark mayhem you've recently left. The town square was buzzing with bright, smiling faces. People were raising their mugs in a toast to Eren's name. The bright and happy atmosphere only made you feel sick. You doubt some of these people would be feeling so happy if their town were under destruction from the Wall Titans. But oh well, it was nice to have an excuse to be happy.

To distract yourself from your circumstances, you were talking up a storm with Falco and Connie to give Armin and Gabi a little bit of space to talk about Reiner's whereabouts. You had a plate in your hands, holding a steamy, thick circle of pie. Armin and Gabi were talking amongst themselves a little bit in front of you, Armin holding both of your drinks as he gave his attention to the small girl next to him. You tried your best to ignore the less subtle glances he kept throwing at you.

At some point in your conversation, Falco drifted off into silence. Instead, he put his focus on the cheery people around him. You lifted an eyebrow.

"Hey, what's wrong?" You asked quietly, not trying to bring attention to the whole group about Falco's worries. He looked at you for a second before glancing away.

"I'm okay. I think." He answers, you furrowed her eyebrows. You weren't convinced, but you weren't trying to fight an answer out of him. Your stare seemed to be getting to him, so he eventually confessed. "It's just...should we be taking this detour? Are we wasting time doing this?" He asks.

"You're right, Falco. We've got a million things on our plate right now and lots of people to talk to. But right now, we eat." Connie answered, and you nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I don't know about you, but I'm starving." You held your plate above your head in an attempt to get a smile out of Falco. "Besides, you need all the strength you can get. We can't get stuff done on an empty stomach."

Connie giggled at your enthusiasm. "Sasha would be so proud." He quietly tells you. Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment as you smiled lightly. Falco wasn't fully convinced, but a growl from his stomach said otherwise.

"I guess you're right." He chuckles lightly. You smiled down at him. You balanced the plate in your left hand before using your right to ruffle Falco's hair.

"That's the spirit! Now, an important question. Are you a cherry pie kind of person? Or an apple pie kind of person?" You asked. Falco blinked, not expecting that.

"Quick, you got 10 seconds before I eat it all." You teased. Falco stuttered on his words as he reached for the pie that you hovered dangerously over his head.

"U-Uh–Apple!" He said the first thing that came to mind. You paused, eyeing him with fondness.

"Really? You've struck me as a cherry pie kind of kid." Falco raised an eyebrow, not exactly getting the message. Meanwhile, Connie was snickering beside you, finding this whole spiel amusing.

"W-why would you think that?" He asked. You gave him a teasing smirk before looking away. "No reason~" You said. Falco's cheeks turned red in embarrassment at your teasing, so you decided to give the poor boy a break.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Since you answered so honestly, this pie's for you!" You gave him the full apple pie you were carrying. Falco's eyes widened, his mouth watering as the sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon enveloped his senses. He reached out to take it, but he looked up at you.

"Wait, this is yours. Aren't you hungry, Miss Y/N?" He asks, making your heart squeeze. Even after everything he's been through, he still tries his best to be polite. You shook your head.

"You should eat first." He opened his mouth to argue, but you tutted at him. "Ah-ah. No arguing. You just gained titan abilities, and speaking from experience, you're going to be hungry. A whole pie will probably fill you up. Besides, you said apple pie's your favorite. I can also get another one."

Falco stared at you for a few seconds before shyly nodding and taking the plate from your hands. He was frowning at first, but as soon as he sniffed the pie, a smile spread across his face. You giggled at his reaction before ruffling his head.

"Miss Y/N! I want a full pie too!" Gabi came out of nowhere, standing by Falco's side before staring up at you in determination. You were quick to match her energy, putting your hands on your hips.

"Big, strong Gabi wants to eat a whole pie on her own. How can I say no to such bravery? What'd you want?" You asked. She continued to hold your gaze.

"Cherry!" She boldly claimed. You rest your other hand on top of her head, nodding in response. "Good choice. Prepare thyself before I come forth with the challenge." Falco and Gabi giggled at your change of tone.

At this point, Connie and Armin watched the whole thing in slight awe. This was a new side they were seeing of you. They didn't think you would be so good with kids, but at the same time, they didn't know much about you since you were tight-lipped about your past. They snapped out of their thoughts when you looked over at them.

"I'll be back, I'll leave them in your care." You eyed Connie suspiciously. "Don't you try anything funny." You pointed an accusing finger at him. Connie shook his head.

"Actually. Can I come with you? I need some more drinks." You blinked in surprise, not expecting the company, but didn't mind it nonetheless. You shrugged. "Okay." It's been a while since you had a one-on-one with Connie. You looked over at Armin.

"Think you'll be okay on your own?" You asked. Armin blinked in surprise. You were looking at him in the face for the first time since you arrived here. He cleared his throat before glancing away.

"Y-yeah." You nodded. That was good enough for you. "Sweet. See ya in a bit." And with that, you departed with Connie following close behind you.

You and Connie engaged in some small talk, but most of the walk to the pie stall was quiet. Eventually, Connie grew tired of the awkward silence, so he decided to speak what first came to mind.

"Didn't know you were an apple pie person." He said. You gave him a shrug. "The granny who took care of me in Wall Maria baked it for me all the time. Her pie was one of the best ones I've ever had." You confessed. Connie was at a loss for words, not expecting sentimentality.

He looked forward, crossing both of his arms behind his head. "I'm more of a cherry pie kind of guy." You snickered. "Really? Didn't know you even had a type. I thought you'd be an 'all of the above' with the way you were eyeing those pies back there." You joked.

"Oh, I'm going back for them. I just wanted to eat the cherry first." He jokes while you pay for the apple and cherry pies. You eyed the apple pie carefully as you left the stalls.

"Eh, it's not Granny's apple pie, but maybe it will taste good." You turned your attention to him. "You said you wanted to get more drinks." Connie glanced away nervously.

"Actually, I was lying before." You blinked. Huh? Connie glanced back up at you, scratching the back of his head. It wasn't until he saw your expression that he quickly tried to explain himself.

"I-it's not anything bad! I just wanted to talk to you on my own." The tension in your shoulders faded, tilting your head to hear what he had to say. He cleared his throat.

"I didn't get the chance to apologize before, so...I'm sorry." You lifted an eyebrow, genuinely confused.

"You don't have to apologize to me. I'm pretty sure choking you out is sufficient." Connie shook his head.

"Yeah, but Falco isn't the only one I've hurt." Connie continued. His eyes then settled on you, and it was then that you got the message. He was talking about you.

"Oh..." You made a noise, showing you've understood. You didn't know how to respond to that. He took your silence as a sign for him to continue.

"I've been thinking about what you've said. When you tried offering yourself up in Falco's place. I guess in that moment, I realized how much my actions were affecting others." He brought his head down in shame.

"When I took Falco, I wasn't thinking clearly. All that kept running in my mind at the time was that this was an opportunity to save my mom, and I wasn't going to waste any more time and let the chance go to waste. In my mind, I didn't think Falco deserved it. If anyone deserved to gain titan powers, it would've been my mom." He let out a sigh. "I was thinking selfishly, I was being selfish."  You let out a short breath.

"You're undermining yourself way too much." You interjected. "Yeah, you were being selfish, and yes, I was furious when you took Falco and ran off. But I understood why you did it in the first place. If I were in your position and my sister were a pure titan, I would have done anything to bring her back."

You say your sister because she's the only one who has always cared for and loved you. You miss her every day, but you're at slight peace knowing that she probably thinks you're happy living a better life somewhere.

Connie let out a sort of chuckle, though it sounded more like a sigh. He began to play with the wrinkles of his uniform. "The night before I reached Ragako, I called out for Sasha. Asked her to give me some sort of sign and guide me to make the right choice. I think her sending you and Armin was her answer." He confessed. Your throat bobbed as your eyes glistened a bit.

You quickly blinked back tears, clearing your throat before you could get any more emotional. "O-oi! Don't be saying stuff like that. I'm trying to cry again." You playfully punched his shoulder, making him laugh.

"But she would have been proud that you ended up making the right decision after all." You continued. "You could have agreed to let me throw myself or let Armin fall in just to get your mom back. But you didn't. You talked me out of my senses and saved Armin instead. Now you're planning to save others to amend for your mistakes." Connie gave you a small smile.

"I hope she is...of both of us," Connie said thoughtfully before softly punching your arm back.

"So...are we good now?" Connie held up his fist, hoping for you to do the same. You smirked at him before setting your hand down on his hand.

"Always have been, Baldy." You teased while ruffling his short locs. He groaned at the nickname.

"Hey, I'm not bald anymore! Can't be using that nickname on him anymore!" He argued. Once you begin speaking again, you let loose on all the nicknames you've been waiting to give to your friends. Connie got the nickname Baldy, but that slowly grew short-lived as he began growing some hair.

"That's going to take forever! I'm sticking with Baldy until I find something better." Both of you snickered as Connie playfully swatted your arm away.

"Also...one last thing." You tilted your head a bit, prompting him to continue. "Is everything okay with you and Armin?"

You physically flinched, nearly dropping the two pies you were holding. You quickly managed to catch yourself as you stared at him wide-eyed.

"W-what?" You asked. Connie only grew more suspicious due to your reaction.

"I caught him staring at you a couple of times when we were making our way here. Thought you two got into a fight or something with the way he kept staring." You gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"I kind of blew off on him and Mikasa before running off on my own to go after you. Armin ended up coming after me, and we sorted things out. So yeah, we're good. Nothing's wrong." You weren't lying to him completely, but there's no way you're going to tell him about the other mishap that happened.

Connie didn't seem convinced, but you were already walking away before he could ask any more questions. He shrugged and followed after you. Guess he'll never know.

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You and Connie made your way back to the group, who had already found a somewhat empty table for you all to share. Gabi cheered when you arrived with her full circular pie, giving you a quick "thank you" before she and Falco dug into it. Connie sat down next to Armin at the edge of the table, giving you no choice but to sit on the other side of him.

"..." You were tempted to sit next to Falco and Gabi on the other side, but Connie and Armin were already staring at you. Confused why you were still standing up.

"Y/N? Everything okay?" Connie asked, his eyes shifting between you and Armin. You held back the urge to glare at him before letting out a huff instead.

"Peachy..." You begrudgingly answered before slipping into a seat next to Armin on his left. Armin looked a little relieved to see that you were willing to sit next to him. Connie stared at you for a few more seconds before going back to eat his pie. You wanted to quickly move on from this, grabbing a whole slice of your pie before taking a giant chomp from it.

"So, what's the plan now?" You asked as you began to dig into your second slice. Now that Falco has been saved, it's time to focus on what to do next. And so you wouldn't feel so awkward sitting next to Armin.

"Well, we focus on getting to where Reiner is first," Armin announced. Gabi looked up briefly from her pie before opening her mouth to speak, but you interjected.

"Ah-ah. Don't choke yourself now." You gently scolded. Gabi did as she was told, chewing and swallowing before opening her mouth again.

"Reiner will be in a coma for two or three days, so don't worry." Your eyebrows raised at that.

"Coma?" You asked. Gabi nodded before you let out a sigh. "Still always the weak one, but I can't blame him for this." You looked back over at Armin.

"At least we know he's not active. But who I'm concerned about is Annie. Gabi said the hardening's been undone due to Eren and the rumbling, and knowing her, she's probably up and about now." At the mention of that name, you saw and heard two different reactions.

Armin physically stiffened, his eyes growing wide. He then went quiet, eyes scanning your form. You take that he was trying to listen and see for any visible reactions. After that little mishap, he now thinks the topic of Annie is a sensitive topic. Next, you heard someone coughing and sputtering, shifting your attention as you looked behind you.

"Hey, are you okay–?" You began to ask, but you stopped immediately as soon as you made eye contact with familiar icy blue eyes.

No way...no FUCKING way.

The whole table froze. Time seemed to slow down as no one said a word. Your eyes remained wide, your jaw slacked open in shock. You didn't even know if you were breathing. Then, your mouth moved a little. Speaking out a phrase that showed just how much spending time in Paradis Island has affected your way of speech.

"Well, I'll be damned..." You softly spoke.

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