This is some sort of a one shot, dedicated to Armin.
But fair warning, there are some MAJOR SPOILERS ahead!
If you haven't read the issue of Hajime Ishiyama's Attack on Titan issue 82 is recommended to not read this.
All of the characters in the AOT universe all belongs to Hajime Ishiyama and anyone else Mr. Ishiyama gave his rights to.
Read on!
And please review!
The last thing Armin Arlert had felt was an intense heat burning all his skin, hot showers of fire touched every bit of his flesh. He was burning alive, but heart filled with pure bravery and determination. He wasn't hesitating when he jumped in first in front of Bertholdt, he gave up all of his dreams, all of his hopes, for the sake of humanity.
He knew he was going to die, and he did not have anything against that. Funny, he thought, his life did not flash before his eyes. It was slow, and painful, all he could think about was to 'hold on a little longer'.
His plan DID worked, at least there was that. Bertholdt had taken the bait, as he turned into a Colossal Titan and released his hot steam all over himself, hitting Armin in the process while Eren circled around to get Bertholdt's nape.
Armin closed his eyes as his eyelids were burning intensely, white, blue, and lastly black. Darkness consumed him, and the last thing he thought was a half-hearted goodbye.
Armin felt calmness sweeping over his body after a great deal of pain, as if his body had been touched by the coldest breeze he ever felt. His mind went blank, it wandered all over.
His body was so light, it felt like he was falling without feeling it. Was this what comes after death? Or is there something after? Hell maybe, or heaven if he deserved it.
He thought about Eren, the way his eyes widen in admiration every time Armin tells a story of the outside world, the way his eyes narrowing intensely every time somebody mentioned the word 'Titan', the way he stares at Armin in horror when he plans a suicide attack.
His mind drifted off to Mikasa, the trademark blank look on her face, the red scarf being hit by wind, the softness behind her hard nature towards her friends and families.
Krista- no, Historia Reiss. He loved how she smile gently, he loved how caring she was, and lastly he loved her real name. Why didn't he tell her sooner?
Armin let out a sigh, then he breathed in again, and then he let it out again. His eyes still droopy and heavy, and he refused to open them. He WAS dead, there's no point opening them now. But what would happen if he did?
Armin moved his eyeballs under his eyelids, finally noticing the light that was going through his eyelids. He opened one eye, he first expected nothing, but admittedly surprised when he saw the clearest blue sky that he had ever seen.
His ears picked up voices and sounds, but were muffled and he can't hear anything more than a slow and soft mumblings. His ears were beginning to pick up more, he heard the wind, he heard the grass, and he heard water.
Armin's eyes shot open, but his body was frozen rigid. His eyes locked on to the sky, but the more he sees he noticed branches from behind him dancing in the wind, his feeling of doubt and confusion all flushed away by calmness.
"I'm surprised, you know." Came a soft voice from his right.
Armin moved his head a bit, and his eyes were locked to someone familiar. His short bangs of black hair, and his freckles made Armin think.
"Mar…co?" Armin muttered from the edge of his mouth, his lips barely moving.
Marco Bodt bent down and smiled at him, "I always thought that you'll last fifty more years. Here, let me help you up."
Armin saw Marco's hand, inviting him to grab it. Armin raised his hand and took the hand, he pulled down as Marco pulled up, raising him slowly but enough for him to tremble and stand.
"Easy, easy now, there you go!" Marco said as he helped Armin on his feet, holding him by one arm.
Armin looked down to his body, he was wearing his casual shirt while his Survey Corps uniform disappeared. He can feel something under his feet, it was very soft and felt very weird, until he realized that he was standing on a patch of grass.
He heard another splashing of water, once he looked ahead, he can't look away. Armin felt a blooming feeling of happiness swelled all over him, ocean! He screamed internally. There's an ocean right in front of me! What is- what the heck is going on?! The ocean was more beautiful than he imagined, the sun gleams on the clear blue surface, the smell on the air was most alien but at the same time satisfying.
"W-where…. Am I?" Armin stuttered, eyes still widened and fixed towards the scene. He noticed people, humans, playing in the ocean, their feet dipped right above the ankle as the splashed and kicked the water at each other. Each has their own widest smiles, laughing at each other happily.
Marco smirked. "Well, why don't you find out yourself?" And with that, Marco turned to the people playing in the ocean, "HEY EVERYONE! ARMIN'S HERE!"
Everyone halted and stopped to look, they all had their eyes on Armin. Armin can feel himself rooted to the ground.
"Armin!"
" REALLY?"
"WELL IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!"
Everyone was so eager to meet him, more than eager actually. Armin carefully took a step back, but before he knew it, everyone pounced on him while looking very happy about it.
Armin was stuttering in the middle, all of these people were either hugging him or rubbing their palms on his head. He noticed their faces, he knew them! He knew all of them!
"Welcome, Armin!" Mina Carolina said with her widest smile, she clung to his neck and wrapped him with her arms tightly.
"So you're Armin, eh? How are you doing, kid?" Oluo Bozado said, playfully rubbing his knuckles on Armin's head, making him squirm uncomfortably.
"Oluo stop it!" Petra Ral joined in, she turned to Armin and gave him a warm welcoming smile. "I've heard so much about you, Armin, shame we never talked more before, I am just DYING to meet you!"
Most of the people moaned in exasperation at what Petra just said, Thomas Wagner frowned at her "Not cool miss, not cool."
Armin's face lighten up "G-guys! Wha- what?!"
"I-I know, it's a lot to take in, but you'll get used to it soon." Someone patted him on the back, when Armin took a glance he realized that it was Franz Kefka.
Armin was now in the brink of fainting, there was too much for him to process, let alone the mixed feelings of happiness and confusion all together.
"Hey you." Came a very cold voice.
Armin looked around, and as he does the crowd broke in two, giving Armin a view on who had said it. Armin's first feeling was uncertainty as he saw a short haired woman in the crowd, then a sudden realization came over him, making him stumbling back.
The woman glared at him furiously and her gaze lowered, she stomped up to him in anger and murderous eyes.
Armin thought of the worst, but the woman was suddenly stopped when someone larger than her pulls her back by the shoulder.
"Easy there Fey, it's in the past now…" Said the taller man.
The woman, Fey, the same person Armin had killed, glared at him then to her tall friend. She slaps his hand away from her shoulder and ran back to the opposite direction from Armin, hissing in the process.
Armin stood there as the crowd began to disperse, he stood there for several minutes watching as they continued playing by the sea while the waves hits their feet.
No Titans, no more blood.
But nothing else mattered, he was there, he was in paradise, and he will say it again that nothing else mattered. He was happy to be there, along with his old friends.
Armin looked up to see Marco smiling at him. "So, is this everything that you wanted?" Marco asked.
"What do you mean?" Armin asked back.
Marco rubbed the back of his head "Well… If you want to, you still can go back."
Armin blinked rapidly "R-really?"
Armin thought for a moment, he was in the happiest place he could imagine, but he something felt terribly wrong. There was no one for him to give advice, there was no more suspense, and there was no more Eren or Mikasa.
Thinking about this, it made him feel like he wanted to go back. What kind of person wants a live full of fear and terror, instead of a paradise? He scolded himself, was it the pain? Was it the deaths? Or was it because he had something to fight for, something that made him go on, and something that gives him a reason to live. He had nothing like those now.
Something felt very weird, his body felt very weird. He looked at his hands, his eyes widened in horror as it was beginning to go transparent.
"M-Marco?!" He shrieked fearfully.
Marco only stared at him, he gave a scoff and a smile. "Well, I guess we'll be seeing you later then."
Armin opened his mouth to ask him what was going on, but suddenly the darkness swallowed him and he was swimming in black once again. His breathing faltered after a few minutes of hyperventilating, his body was frozen again, he literally can't move.
The sound of wind, grass, and sea had disappeared. He could only hear the ringing on his brain, the ringing on his entire body.
He breathed in and out, but his lungs are very weak, he did not know why. He could only think about what was going to happen to him, once again he thought of the worst. He can't open his eyelids once he realized that they were closed.
He was beginning to get very scared, so very scared.
Until a voice broke the silence. "He's breathing!"
Then another same voice came "That's it! Keep breathing!"
Fey is my nickname for the person Armin first killed, for the sake of fanfiction only I rename Hajime Ishiyama's characters.