Disclaimer: I don't own Attack on Titan.

He screams at Mr. Hannes to let him go, because his mom is under the rubble of his house dammit, and he can save her, there has to be another option –

Eren watches with horror as his mother brokenly yells that she loves him, and she's crying, and nopleasemomIcanhelpIcansaveyougivemeanotherchanceI'msorryIloveyousomuch –

His mother, Carla Yeager, is covering her mouth now as she sobs, and he knows that all four of them – Mikasa and Mr. Hannes, him and his mother -can feel the inevitable approaching. He sees the Titan's hands taking apart the ruins of his house, and finally reaches for his prize.

Eren wants to look away, but he can't keep his eyes off Carla as she struggles weakly in the Titan's grasp, and he hears a loud crack as the Titan breaks her slender neck smoothly. He knows he needs to look away as the giant opens its gaping mouth, and –

The blood gushes out, and he sees droplets of it float almost angelically in air. It briefly reminds him of dark red roses that sometimes grow in the little grove he and Mikasa would go to after collecting firewood.

The beauty of the droplets of blood doesn't last, and the blood splatters to the cobblestone ground.

Eren shot up out of bed with a scream.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and to his chagrin, felt tears running down his face. He laid back down with a groan, and tried his best to go back to sleep, but the one memory that never disappeared from his mind came back to bother him. He tried to keep his emotions at bay, but thoughts of his beautiful mother, the one person who had shown him unconditional love all his life...

Eren couldn't stop that first choked sob that escaped him, and he couldn't stop the rest of them that poured out either.

Armin woke up to the sound of a door quietly shutting.

He stretched sleepily, and turned his head to the source of the noise. Nothing. He ran his head through his hair, thinking it was his overactive imagination and ready to go back to sleep, when he glanced briefly at the bed next to him. Empty.

Armin immediately knew something was wrong, because Eren when Eren slept he didn't just wake up in the middle of the damn night shit there's something wrong where is he should be hear please no why did you leave –

He shook his head, ridding himself of bad thoughts. He rubbed at his eyes, so he could see more clearly. The rest of the boys were still sleeping. He could hear the sound of Connie snoring loudly, Bertolt's soft sighs, and the occasional disturbance of Reiner's shifting. Carefully making sure he didn't make a sound, Armin crept out of his bed, and out of a cabin with his coat on. He gazed up at the dark night sky.

Where are you, Eren?

He found him in forest.

That wasn't extremely surprising, considering the many drills they had endured in there. Plus, Eren had once fondly told him that he liked the forest. Reminds me of home, he said.

Armin had disagreed, since Shiganshina reminded him of anything but a forest, but Eren had laughed it off and told him he hadn't meant Shiganshina.

When he found Eren, he found not the confident, hardened young man he fronted to their fellow trainees, but a sobbing boy that reminded him of when they were both ten years old and Wall Maria and Shiganshina had fallen.

"Eren? What are you...?" Armin began to ask, but then Eren had turned around.

Oh.

Eren looked like he had been crying for quite a bit now. His eyes were red and swollen. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he made no effort to wipe them away. He was shaking like he was cold, but there wasn't even a breeze. His hair was messier than usual. But what got to Armin was the haunted, defeated look in emerald eyes. He remembered that look from when they had been ten, on the ferries toward Trost, when he had seen that same look on Eren when he and Mikasa had begun to board. The dead, blank face he had on then after his mother's death was the same one he had on now.

After his mother's death.

Grief. He was grieving. Most likely due to a vivid nightmare of that horrible day. Eren had seen a Titan devour his mother. He was blaming himself for it.

Eren was mourning.

Armin said nothing afterwards. He merely sat down next to Eren, and threw his arms around him. Eren choked with emotion, and sobbed harder.

Dammit. What the hell was Armin doing here?

Armin wasn't supposed to see this side of him. He was only to see what Eren showed him. Eren didn't care that they'd been best friends since childhood; not even Mikasa knew about his occasional breakdowns. No one was supposed to see.

And yet, lo and behold, was Armin Arlert, who hadn't spoken a word since he had found him. And he hadn't left. He hadn't asked what was wrong, or tried to come up with solution, or force Eren to tell him what was wrong.

He had only sat down next to him and stayed.

Sometimes, you don't need words of encouragement or solutions to your troubles. You just need someone to embrace you and stay.

And Armin stayed, with his arms wrapped around Eren, and he cried into his shirt. They stayed that way for long time.

"You won't tell anyone about this, right?"

Armin smiled, a little sadly, and turned to face Eren. "Course not. What are friends for?"

Eren shot him a grateful smile, and together they snuck back into the dorm rooms.

For the rest of the night, Eren had no nightmares, but pleasant dreams of better times with his blonde haired companion and friend for life. Thank you Armin, he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

It's been a while ;)

I haven't been on this site to write for more than two years. My bad. Anyways I got started on Attack on Titan, and I love it so far! This piece takes place sometime during the gang's training in the military.

Hope you enjoyed. Reviews are welcome and so is criticism. Flames are not tolerated nor appreciated. Thanks!

~Carla