What The World Is Like

Attack on Titan

Friendship/Tragedy

-Armin Arlert's POV-

It feels good to finally be free of the fetters I wore, when the Titans dominated and plagued humanity's mind and drove us to hide behind walls like cattle. At least, that's what Eren would say.

I stand in the sand, no boots on. No socks, either. I can feel the grains rubbing softly against my skin, warming my heels and welcoming me with a soothing warmth I rarely find anymore. The air smells fresh and new, and I realize just how stuffy the Walls really are. Even when I was outside, it didn't make me feel so alive and free. There was always something holding me -holding everyone- back.

I tilt my head up towards the sky and inhale, wanting to breathe it in as much as possible. This freedom- it's amazing.

The wind combs through my hair and I feel it lightly graze over my scalp. I never want this sensation to leave me, but I know that, eventually, it will.

I allow my head to drop back towards the earth, and I begin walking towards the water that's lapping up against the shore. The sun's rays glisten on the ocean, as if millions of red-orange diamonds are hidden beneath the surface. "I wish you could see this Eren, Mikasa," I say quietly, kneeling down.

My fingertips slide gently across the liquid. It's almost as if I never touched it. The way my reflection shifts tells a different story, and I watch myself being contorted and bent out of my original shape.

Suddenly, I feel helpless, useless- worthless.

I erect myself and begin walking away from the sight and over to where the sand meets dirt and grass. Not even thirteen feet away from me stands a small tree. Its shade is extremely welcoming and I plop down by the trunk. I rest my back against the wood. "It's beautiful out here," I murmur to the wind whispering in my ears. "There's so much life and color and beauty out here... outside of the Walls... The ocean! The waves lap up against the sand! I walked close to the edge earlier and when the tide came in, my footprints were effaced away, almost as if they never existed... There are these white birds too. Do you remember? The ones I told you about? They're called seagulls, and when you hear the way the ocean calls you and the way seagulls sing, it sounds like some sort of melody playing..."

I shrink back slightly and drag my knees to my chest. I wrap my arms around my knees.

I look up at the sky as I speak and though quite a bit is hidden by the leaves, its vast endlessness travels on for what seems like ever. "It's warm, too, really warm! It feels really good..."

As I'm talking, I feel tears begin to swell in my eyes. "I wish you guys could see it. I wish you could see what the world looks like."

I glance over to the side of me and stare at the small, freshly dug graves. There's no bodies, only a jar of ashes where the bodies should be, but to me, it's all the same. It's still Eren and Mikasa there. I know they're listening. They have to be. They always wanted to know what it was like living on the outside, yet they're not here to witness it themselves.

'At least... at least they died valiantly...' I think.

Tears slide down my cheeks in big, fat rivulets and I bring my fist up to wipe them away. But when I swipe my hand across my face, they splatter across the ground instead. And for the first time, I notice that there are small flowers beginning to sprout up where Eren and Mikasa are buried.

I can't help but smile sadly. "Maybe you're not completely here," I whimper, my voice swaying and cracking from the pain that's making my heart ache. "...Yet, somehow, I get the feeling... that still... you know what the world looks like..."

(I originally posted this on Quotev, so don't freak if you find it there, too. This was just a sad little oneshot idea I came up with after listening to 'Long, Long Way To Go' by Def Leppard. It was also inspired from a picture I found on Google, originally from Tumblr. Something about Armin collecting seashells and setting them on Eren and Mikasa's grave, all while he tells them what the ocean is like. And, the last thing that inspired this was Armin being the narrator of AoT or SnK, when the show is supposed to be about Eren. -cough- Anyhow, hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't, m'kay. I'll live off of your dissatisfaction. And potatoes. Bye-bye now! x)