If there was one thing that Armin was sure about, it was that he never wanted to be separated from Eren and Mikasa. He knew he was only a burden to them, and that they had to come to his aid all the time it seemed, but they were his family now. He still had nightmares about his grandpa leaving with the other damned souls to venture into Wall Maria and he would wake up in a cold sweat when his nightmares turned bloody. Armin had not told his friends about his dreams – dreams of his grandpa's lifeless body hanging from a Titan's mouth as his blood poured down onto the ground and somewhere his mother screaming in terror. The blond boy would only retreat to the washroom and wash away the sweat from his body before returning to bed.

Today, everyone was a buzz of activity. It seemed that information was leaked out that trainers and teachers would start performing the survival training soon.

Armin took his seat in the mess hall with his friends and leaned his head on his hand. He was not looking forward to this. He had just barely made it out of the vertical maneuvering exercise and the constant running and strengthening had not become easier for him.

"Hm?" Armin looked up when he heard his name and saw Eren looking at him. "What?"

"Weren't you listening?" Eren sighed a bit and shook his head. "They are saying that we will be partnering up for this training. Some people have even died during this since the point of it is surviving in the woods on your own."

"Won't be too hard." Mikasa chimed in grimly and leaned forward against the table.

"Easy for you to say." The blond sighed to himself. "I am just a burden when it comes to stuff like this. I don't know if I can survive on my own."

"Well the good thing is another part of this training is teamwork." A voice called out making the three turn to spy Marco and Jean standing behind them. "If you can rely on each other, you are bound to get through the three week training."

"Three weeks!" Armin yelled in despair and buried his face into his arms. Three weeks out in the woods with someone. At least he could pick Eren to be his partner and he knew that he would be alright for sure. That was until Jean spoke up.

"They are drawing names tomorrow. The partners are randomized to ensure that friends are not going in together."

Randomized?! That would mean I would be with anyone, or even a stranger, Armin thought as his face turned pale. Fleetingly he thought if he could somehow get out of this, but there were no special treatments for anyone. You either had to what you were told or you had to go back and work the rest of your life. For a second there, working sounded better than three weeks in the wilderness, but he didn't want to let Eren or Mikasa down. He was there for them both after all.

Fear still hung over the blond throughout the day as he went through the motions of the day. His eyes darted about to the different people surrounding him wondering who he would be partnered up with.

The training yard was filled with trainees learning the basics of hand to hand combat and a few stuck out to Armin. Connie and Sasha were goofing off as normal, waving their hands about in the hair and making odd noises. He wondered what it would be like to be partnered with them on this survival exercise. No doubt it would be entertaining, but he didn't know if girls or boys were allowed to be partnered together. It would cause some tension or at least…

His cheeks burned red and he shook his head a bit to push that thought into the back of his mind.

His eyes went to Jean, Marco and Reiner as they practiced flips together. Marco was kind and so was Reiner, but there was Jean. The boy was the same age as himself, but he held an air of maturity that Armin didn't have. He also looked much older than he was. He didn't really have anything against Jean, but he thought of him as arrogant and would be often mean to Eren. Out of everyone, Armin didn't think he and Jean would not get along at all.

Jean turned his head and locked eyes with the blond boy for a few seconds before flipping Marco onto his back in one single movement. It was impressive, but Armin turned his head away before Jean looked back at him. It was almost as if he was showing off, but that would be silly. Why would he show off to him?

"Alright you maggots!" The sergeant stood in front of the trainees, screaming loudly in their faces. "You all will be placed in teams of two to survive out in the woods for three weeks. You have to rely on your teammate to survive! If you do not try and work together, I assure you all…YOU WILL DIE!."

Armin's body shivered and he stood up straighter at the loud voice. He didn't sleep all night since he knew today was the day he would see who would be his partner. He hoped to God it was Eren or Mikasa at least and what Jean said was not true – ensure friends are not partnered up.

"First eight groups will go out tomorrow to start their training and after those three weeks, another group of eight will start their training before the groups come back. Is that clear?!"

"Yes sir!" Everyone yelled loudly.

"Alright, first group is…" The man put his hand into a box and pulled out two names on a slip of paper. "Mikasa and Sasha."

A little holler came out from behind Armin and he saw Sasha waving her hand over at Mikasa who looked less than thrilled about this arrangement.

"Next is Annie and Connie."

A few murmurs sounded from the group as the names were called. So it doesn't matter if you are placed with a girl or not, Armin thought with a small smile, it is about survival and gender does not matter when it comes to that. This soothed the boy's fears, but still he was nervous about who he would be picked with.

The names went on until group seven and eight were the last.

"The next group will be Eren and Marco."

Armin's heart sunk low and he looked over at his friend who gave him an apologetic look before turning back towards the commanding officer. There was one more group left and Armin was trembling. Maybe he would luck out and have three more weeks of rest before this again? Who knows? Maybe God would have mercy on him today.

"The last group will be…Jean and Armin."

Heads turned towards Jean and Armin instantly and out of the corner of his eye, Armin could see that Eren's hands were balled up in a fist. He could understand why since he would have to rely on Jean – one of the few that did not work well in teams or have the understanding to help ones weaker then himself. The blond boy gulped and thought that his life would be over now.

He glanced over at Jean and saw the look of indifference on his face and let out a soft sigh. If he survived, this would be a long three weeks.

"Now that you have been put into groups, you are to bunk with your partners for the night and get to know one another. Trust me when I say this, you better know each other's strengths and weaknesses before embarking! When you are out there fending for your lives, you better know how to work with your partner. It might just save your life up against a Titan. Dismissed!"

The group of trainees saluted over their chest and broke up slowly into their groups. The lucky ones, who did not have to go this time, left for the mess hall while the groups went off on their own to speak with one another. Armin watched as Sasha clung onto Mikasa's arm tightly and pulled her off towards the mess hall to talk over dinner while Eren and Marco went to the boy's cabins quietly. Before he knew it, Armin was standing alone in the yard with Jean. They had not moved from their spots at all and the blond boy did not know what to do or say.

It was Jean who made the first move and walked up to the smaller boy to place his hand on his shoulder. "Come on." He said before making his way over to the boy's cabins. "We gotta make sure and pack all that we need for the trip."

Armin shook his head a bit trying to get over the shock that was still on him and followed after Jean's heels. He stared at the back of his head as they walked waiting for him to speak up again, but he didn't say a word.

"So…" Armin started, but his cheeks started to turn red again and his gaze dropped to his feet.

"We can talk about our strengths and weaknesses bullshit later. The most important thing we gotta do is make sure we have the tools we need to survive." Jean snapped causing the blond to flinch at his tone. It was cold and almost cruel.

Of all people he had to be paired with him?!

They were silent for two hours as they gathered their packs and double checked everything they would need. Jean was very intelligent when it came to knowing what they would need. Armin did not think they would need wire, or rope, or even fishing line but he saw the uses in his head quickly as he turned these items over in his hand. Sometimes he would look around and watch Eren sitting with Marco on his bunk where Jean normally slept. He remembered that Marco and Jean were close and wondered if he was angry that they would be separated.

Marco eyes locked with Armin and he smiled at him softly, but there was something in his demeanor that was odd to him. It was something that he could not put his finger on, but he looked away when Jean pressed something into Armin's hand.

"Here, you will need this."

He looked down to find a small switch blade in his hand. The handle was made of wood and it had the symbol of Wall Rose on it. He pulled the blade out and held it to the light. It looked like it had been used a lot, but there were signs that it had been well taken care of – oiled and sharpened over the years.

"Is this yours?" Armin asked as he held the blade out.

Jean did not answer as he kept putting a few rolled up shirts into his pack. It frustrated the blond that his partner would not answer him and he would stay silent like this, but he suddenly realized that this was not like Jean. He normally was talkative about his view points and enjoyed to rough house with Marco.

The bells rang outside signaling that it was time for bed as the sky darkened through the windows of the cabin. Since partners had to sleep in the same bunks, Eren came over to collect his belongings. Armin was sitting with his pack ready on the floor when he approached and let out a small sigh. Jean had left his side to speak with Marco for a few minutes and it caused most of the tension to leave Armin's body.

"How are you holding up Armin?" Eren asked as he sat down next to his childhood friend.

"I'm alright, but I'm very confused," He pulled his legs up to his chest and laid his head down on his knees, "I mean, he is acting very different around me. He isn't very talkative at all and he gave me a knife."

"A knife?" Eren blinked.

"Yeah. It has the Wall Rose's symbol on it and it is in amazing condition. I mean a knife is good to have, but I could have gotten one from the supply shed."

"True. Maybe he is trying to be nice to you."

That could have been the reason, but Armin wasn't buying it. For now, he kept most of his thoughts about Jean to himself since he didn't want to bother his friend about them. Jean was just acting oddly, that was it, right?

"Marco is pretty agreeable. I think my time with him will help me learn a bit more about working with others I do not know well."

"I think you will have the easiest time." Armin smiled finally and poked his finger against Eren's arm. "I think Mikasa might kill her partner after five days."

"Nay, I say more like three."

They grinned at each other and started to laugh at the thought of Mikasa with the odd girl trainees called "Potato Girl". It was good to laugh at least for a little while and he found his arm wrapped around his friend's shoulder to give him a small hug. He suddenly remembered their promise to see the world outside together and his smile widen. He could do this. He could survive because he had a promise to his friend to keep.

"Ahem." A cough sounded in front of them and the pair looked up at Jean. He looked like he had been standing there for a little while, but did not say anything. "Sorry to cut this short, Eren, but we need our sleep. I suggest you get into your bunk."

Armin felt Eren's body tense up and even felt the surge of rage pulsing inside him, but he placed his hand over his balled fist and nodded. "Yeah he is right. I got a long day ahead of me tomorrow and I want to enjoy sleeping on a bed before I have to sleep on the hard ground." He seemed to always know what to say to keep his friend calm and let out a small sigh as his fist relaxed.

"Yeah, I guess you are right." Eren said as he stood up and brushed past Jean. He turned his head and whispered something in his ear that made the taller boy's eyes flare up for a moment before pulling away. Armin sat there wondering what he had said to him, but before he could ask the lights were turned off in the cabin.

Again there was silence between them as Jean climbed into the bunk and settled himself near the wall. Armin didn't know what to do, but at least try and go to sleep although his anxiety was already wearing him down. The blond tossed about a bit until he found himself on his side facing all of the other bunks across from his own. Now adjusted to the darkness, he could see Eren's outline in Jean's old bunk with Marco next to him. He found that he was jealous – not because his friend was with someone else, but with someone else who he could at least talk to.

With a small huff, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on sleeping.

His nightmares returned again and Armin made small whimpers in his sleep. He tossed his head from side to side and sweat rolled down his forehead from his constant movement. Jean, normally a light sleeper, watched as the boy desperately tried to fight whatever he was dreaming. He knew he was be worn out if he kept this up so he wrapped an arm around Armin's waist and pulled him close enough not to wake him.

Somehow, Armin started to settle down and he would only twitch in his sleep or let out a small whine. Seeing this had a good effect on him, Jean laid his head down near Armin's and inhaled his scent. He had never been this close to him, but now was his chance to get to know the beautiful blond he had admired for a while now. Yes Mikasa was beautiful, but nothing like the boy he held gently against him.