A/N: I've been watching Attack on Titan for awhile now and it's really absorbed me into its world. Personally Armin is my favourite character, his development is the most interesting to me. It pains me in a way to do this to him. Please Read and Review

Disclaimer: I don't own Attack on Titan.

Too Late

It was utter chaos. Everywhere the ten-year old looked, people were screaming and running.

The blonde-haired boy was swept up along with a crowd of hysterical people. Disorientated and confused, Armin had no idea where he was. His senses were overloaded with screams of terror, bright flashes of colour as he was shoved up against people by other people in everyone's hurry to get away. Terrified tears were in his eyes as he was shoved to the ground again by an unseen person.

Despite the panic around him Armin's thoughts couldn't help but turn towards his best friends, Eren and Mikasa. They had just run off back home to check on their parents. Leaving Armin, who had been too scared to move, to escape on his own. Armin knew his house was even further away than Eren's; there was no chance he could make it. Unfit, weak, helpless Armin was useless in this situation. He could do nothing but run and hope his parents would make it.

He had often in the past cursed his own weakness, his own inability to act. To be brave like Eren and Mikasa. Whenever the bullies would pick on him (and it would always be him and only him), beat him up and steal his things; then those two would come charging in like soldiers from one of his books and rescue him. Yet it never brought him any joy to see his bullies beaten and tormented by those two. It only brought more self-hatred for the fact that again he'd been saved by somebody else. For he was too weak to do anything on his own. He was always too weak.

But now as Armin glanced around at the fires and at the people screaming and panicking. The howling children, abandoned or lost amongst the crowds and the footfalls of the dreaded Titans coming ever closer, he felt more helpless than ever before.

'God, please let them all be alright. Please, please!' he pleaded desperately. Trying to stand up again, he was immediately and painfully knocked back down. Pain shot through his hands as the cold unforgiving ground scraped his soft palms raw. Although he was used to being bullied and beaten up, the ten-year old was unprepared for this kind of mass panic. The kind of panic that grips your soul with terror and doesn't let go.

People seemed to be fleeing in all directions, hysteria robbing them of any sense. Cursed with his keen analytical mind Armin ran past several scenes of struggling people. All of whom he saw only for an instant but would be burned into his memory for years to come.

A middle-aged woman, tears streaking down her face, screaming and pleading for help to lift a boulder the size of a cart off of her child.

A young man with brown hair, staring stock still, utterly broken in the direction of the gate and cradling the remains of his potential lover.

A child younger than him, crying out for their parents, only to be shunted away into the crowd and never seen again.

Armin saw all this as he ran, these images and many more burning into his treacherous brain. It would never let him forget. With effort the ten-year old tore himself away from the helpless plights of others to focus on his own problems. Wordlessly hating himself for it even more.

A quick look around and he realised that he didn't know where he was. The adults running past blocked his view of anything that could help him gain his bearings. Quickly stumbling and desperately trying to not stay still, Armin tried to move along in the direction where most people seemed to be heading.

His breathing was heavy, sweat marred his innocent face as he tried to keep going. A simple stair, unseen by the kicked up dust, caused Armin to trip and fall down again. Frustrated tears came to his eyes at the sheer unfairness of it all. There was a sound of feet against the ground behind him. With terror in he desperately pushed against the ground, willing himself to get up.

But as Armin struggled to pull himself up before he was trampled, a familiar voice could be heard,

"Keep moving people! Leave your belongings behind! Speed is crucial! Hurry back to Wall Maria! You'll be safe there!" A man in military uniform stood strong against the oncoming crowd, like a castle in a powerful storm. He barked out orders with authority, something which people were heeding in their panic.

Armin saw his chance.

"Hannes! Hannes!" Armin yelled as loud as his little lungs could handle, attracting the attention of the blonde moustached man. Fighting to get through the surging crowd, Hannes grabbed Armin roughly pulling the boy to his feet.

"Armin?" Hannes clarified once getting a good look at him, "What are you still doing here? Get to Wall Maria!" He ordered, his face a mixture of anger and fear. Armin could see that the situation was unnerving the normally laid-back drunk.

"No! You don't understand!" The boy yelled hoarsely. He needed to be sure, it was his turn to help Eren and Mikasa. He was too weak to do it himself, but Hannes was in the military, he could help them.

Armin was vaguely aware of the terrified tears pouring down his red face, but over his pounding heart his other senses seemed dull and lifeless. He cried out again trying to make the man understand,

"Eren and Mikasa, they went back home! Please, you have to save them!" He pleaded, grabbing onto Hannes' trousers. Looking up at him with a desperation only a young child could pull off. "Don't let the titans get them! Please!"

Hannes paled for an instance, his face the picture of fear before he visibly steeled himself. Putting up a brave front for the child; he knelt down and put a comforting hand on Armin's shoulder, hoping to calm the young boy.

"Good work for telling me Armin. I'll rescue the both of them, don't you worry! Now go!"

Armin nodded, before watching Hannes shoot off into the air with his 3D-maneveur gear. He watched until the man was out of sight, then ran in the opposite direction; trying to convince himself he'd done what he could for his friends.

'They'll be fine, they'll be fine. You did the right thing, you got an adult to help them. That's what mum and dad always said to do in an emergency. You didn't abandon them. They'll be fine!' Armin thought, anxiously trying to convince himself of his own actions. Trying to convince himself that he made the right call not running after them when they had left.

'You're not a coward, you're not a coward!' He repeated to himself mutely, yet for some reason the aching in his chest wouldn't cease. Armin ran for all he was worth, his heart beating like a drum in his ears, his hands still stinging from the repeated falls, to Wall Maria. There he could meet up with his loved ones and they'd all be safe from the titans.

Eren and Mikasa would be there along with Hannes. They'd all be together. They'd survive this. 'We have too!' Armin thought, trying not to give into the despair, the doubt that lurked around the edges of his thoughts. Yet no matter how hard he thought, the doubt still lingered with an infinite patience. Waiting.

Barely a few minutes had passed before Armin managed to make it through the gate, leaving Shiganshina for what he was dimly aware, was the last time. There were still crowds of people, milling about, waiting to be directed somewhere. Terror addling their minds and staying their feet. They thought they were safe, but they were on edge. The merest hint of panic and there would be a stampede. People would die, even though they were safe behind the wall. It was pathetic.

'We're just like cattle.' Armin couldn't help thinking to himself in a sudden moment of clarity. 'We hide within the walls, never leaving, never thinking about the outside world. Never attacking, never winning. Doing nothing but waiting for the titans to come in and eat us.'

'What hope is there for us?' Armin contemplated sadly. 'For any of us?' He looked dejectedly at his scraped and bleeding hands.

He remembered reaching out to them as they hurried away. He had frozen, unable to say anything. His hands had trembled in fear, 'I couldn't even follow them I'm so weak...'

Shaking his head of useless thoughts he looked around to see if he could spot anyone he knew.

He needed to wait for Eren and Mikasa. They were strong, they could make it out of there, he just knew it. 'Most of the military must be fighting the titans' his mind couldn't help analysing, noting the lack of the distinct uniforms amongst the crowds. 'Things must be really bad.'

"Armin!" Another familiar voice yelled out. Turning around, Armin couldn't help his heart leaping for joy. A tall, old man wearing a battered grey hat waved to him. The ten-year old ran as fast as he could, fuelled by desperation he tackled the old man, who let out a small surprised 'oomph'.

"Grandpa! Y-Y-You're-" He let out a relieved sob, unable to continue. Unashamedly burying his head in the mans trousers, Armin couldn't stop the fresh wave of tears from soaking his Grandpa's clothes. He trembled as the man brought his arms around him, hugging him tight.

"I'm glad you're safe Armin." He spoke softly in his deep voice. A voice that Armin had secretly always found comforting and warm. A voice that scared monsters and bullies away and would read him bedtime stories before bed. A voice that would offer him comfort when his parents were mean to him. Armin clung to the man.

He lost himself in the comforting smell of old tobacco and sheep's wool. Those two odours coming together to form the scent of his grandpa. Who had spent countless happy evenings with him when his parents had been too busy or uncaring to do so. Who had taught him the joys of reading, of making sense of the symbols painted into texts, deciphering their meanings as well and the comfort of imagining an entire world inside your head.

But most importantly, his grandpa had been the one to introduce Armin to his favourite book. A book his grandpa had kept hidden and safe his entire life. One evening he showed it to Armin. He told the young boy of the outside world. Of its burning water and frozen earth. It's vast oceans and scorching deserts. Of its wonders, its treasures, its secrets. Eyes alight with wonder the young Armin Arlert had silently decided to see that world one day. He had wanted to explore it all.

Interrupting his thoughts, Armin felt his grandpa put two heavy hands on his shoulders. He knelt down so that he was almost eye-level with the young boy. Confused Armin looked up at his grandpa with innocent eyes. Stress and worry lined his grandpa's face. To Armin's shock there were tears in his grandpa's eyes as the man stared wordlessly for a moment at him.

"Armin..." He began his deep voice full of pain. "I-Your parents..." Eyes widening Armin felt fear clench his heart in it's steely grip. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening! It was a dream! A bad dream! His mind rationalised, any moment now he'd wake up and everything would be fine.

"t-they..." The old mans voice cracked and he shuddered. He briefly covered his mouth as if barely able to say the horrible truth,

"Th-They're dead Armin...I'm sorry." Tears poured freely down the old mans face as he said this, neatly mirroring Armin's own. Staring straight ahead Armin's thoughts slowed down. His mind numbed over as the rest of the world seemed to cease. He couldn't hear, couldn't think, couldn't breathe. His chest felt tight and his face felt hot, but the rest of his body was comfortably numb. Utterly detached from his mind.

Dimly he was aware of his mouth opening, ready to speak. Merely to say he had misheard, because his parents couldn't possibly be dead. A strange powerful fire erupted in his chest, enveloping his mind. Words wouldn't form, his mouth was burning, his eyes were burning, his heart was burning.

Armin couldn't speak, his vision was disturbed by a wall of water. His mind addled he latched onto his grandpa. Hands refusing to let go as he stared blankly at nothing.

"Come on Armin. Let's get onto the boats." He spoke gently, calmingly to his grandson.

As if he was in a dream or a strange trance, the ten-year old numbly let his grandpa lead him by the hand towards the river where two boats were waiting to take people to Trost.

Waiting in line, the two were soon able to squeeze onto the boat where his Grandpa directed him to sit down next to him. The burning began to fade, his hearing slowly returned to him. Armin's mind began working again as sounds all around became clearer. Armin could hear the whispers of the people, crammed tightly around him, as they gave in to their terror,

"They'll eat us all..."

"There's no escape..."

"We're just delaying our fate..."

"Everyone's gone..."

Armin didn't want to listen, a part of his mind knew it wasn't hopeless, but he was only ten. A ten-year old who hadn't seen any sign of his parents since the mess started, who had just been told of their demise. A boy who missed the comforting presence of his best friends, of Eren and Mikasa. When they would have sleepovers at Eren's house and they'd all hug each other for warmth. God, he missed that feeling. He subconsciously tightened his grip on his grandpa's coat, trembling with fear and worry.

A comforting, warm arm wrapped round his shoulders, pulling him close.

"It's alright Armin. They'll be fine, Eren and Mikasa are strong." His grandpa said, his voice offering wisdom to the confused and panicked child. He gave Armin a small smile before turning back to stare impassively at the docks.

Armin couldn't help but glance back at his Grandpa's face and could see the lines of worry framing his distinctive features. Trying not to think too hard about it he turned back towards the docks; where still more people were being herded onto the two boats.

His grandpa was wrong. He must be wrong. His parents weren't dead, Armin reasoned with a childish stubbornness. He stared out onto the shore, unblinking. Any second now he'd see them. He'll see. Any second now. They'd both be walking along the gangplank towards him and then they'd hug him and hold him and gently stroke his hair in that way he always said he hated but would be the best feeling in the world if he could feel it right now.

The boat in front of them set off, leaving behind crowds of people who, realising their chances of escape were closing, began to flock towards theirs. Armin watched as more and more people were incessantly crammed onto the boat.

'Any second now, any second now.' he thought, any second now he'll see them. They'll appear in the crowd and he'd leap up and hug them. There was a shout as the gangplank was drawn up and the military men blocked the way on board.

"The boats are full. We can't let anymore on. I-I'm sorry!" One of them yelled, his fists clenched, torn between his duty and his humanity. He then turned to the driver of the boat and yelled, "Go!"

Armin drew his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. Any second now he'd see his parents. There was a slight bump as the boat began to move. Still Armin watched the entrance. Any second now he'd see Eren and Mikasa.

Desperation took hold as the crowds became too wild to contain. People leapt from the shore, clearing the metre long gap onto the boat. Some managed to maintain a grip; whilst others screamed as they slipped and fell.

Any second now.

He had clenched his little fists so hard they were beginning to hurt. The stinging from his scraped palms worsened into bleeding. His vision went blurry as tears clouded his eyes. Whether they were from the pain in his heart or hands, he didn't know. Suddenly angry with himself, Armin wiped them away furiously, before resuming his watch.

Any second now he'd see them. He'd see Eren's wild brown hair and green eyes full of life, Mikasa's beautiful black hair with her signature red scarf. They'd be here and they'd be alive. He wouldn't be alone.

Any second now. And he and Eren would talk about the outside world, about how they'd one day see it. How one day they would travel across the world and see the vast waters of the ocean. The burning heat of plains full of sand, as far as the eye could see. Huge chunks of glowing ice, larger than the walls themselves, floating across an endless expanse of blue. Titanic mountains so large it was always snowing at the top. They'd see it all.

'Any second now.' Armin, still staring straight ahead, thought hopefully.

Mikasa would come as well, protecting them both from the horrors of whatever lurked outside those mighty walls. And they'd be happy. The three of them together against the world.

'Any second now.'

The boat was pulling away.

People were screaming as an explosion was heard.

Armin, still looking on, could see a giant armoured figure in the distance, standing up and looking proudly at the gaping hole it had made in the wall. Armin could hear the moans and screams of despair as people realised that even Wall Maria had fallen. Nothing could stop the titans. He could even feel his Grandpa gasp in horror as the realisation hit the old man as well.

But Armin kept watching, kept staring. Because he knew that any second now he'd see his friends, Eren and Mikasa. They'd appear from behind someone, he'd just missed them boarding that's all.

They were alright, they were fine, they were safe. He hadn't been too late, Hannes had saved them. He must have.

Armin continued to stare, his bright blue eyes wide. They were his protectors, his idols, his best friends. They wouldn't abandon him. They still had to see the world together.

The docks became further and further away as the boat picked up speed.

They hadn't been taken away from him. Things wouldn't be that unfair.

The world is cruel.

'Any second now.'

A/N: Man that was hard for me to write. Poor Armin. Please read and review. Any constructive criticism about my writing would be appreciated if you can think of any, (I'm sure you can). Do let me know what you think. This story is a one-shot at the moment, but if I get any ideas I may continue it. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.