A/N: Wedding time! I'm excited for you guys to read this chapter. It's going to be phenomenal. Also, I realized there have been some questions asked so, quick answers:
M3YL3: Yes. You are correct.
Anon: The reason why I refer to Historia as Krista in narrative is a decision I made to distinguish character developments. You'll see why in this chapter.
I think there were a few more, but I can't remember. If you have a question; feel free to send them on. I hope you guys are ready. 19k, that's gotta be a record.
Disclaimer: *Groan*
This chapter's inspired tracks are: Blue Bicycle, Morning, by Hauschka, Coto, by Kashiwa Daisuke, Ljosio (This one is perfect for the wedding scene) by Olafure Arnalds, Advance by Hiroyuki Sawano, Danse Macabre by Zbigniew Preisner
Nimbus
-: VIII :-
The Vow She Made
"Vows made in storm are forgotten in calm"
-Thomas Fuller
The sound of footsteps echoed and bounced off stone to tease his ears, recoiling from the walls and mimicking the rhythmic beats of the seconds that passed. Connie could feel his palms work up a sweat already and not for the first time did he rub them against his pants, trying in vain to stay calm.
She was late.
She was nearly twenty minutes late.
Each minute that passed only added to the pressure on his nerves, made him want to escape the confines of the room they had agreed to meet during protocolled meetings. Part of him wanted to just take off, forget the fact that they were meeting together and return to entertaining himself with something else instead of waiting for her to show up.
Glancing up at the window, he could see how the sunlight had trailed a good three inches from its last spot against the ground and table. The room felt stuffy the more he paced within its walls and the thought of letting some wind in tempted him to do something more than amble around like a nervous idiot.
Over and over he chanted to himself to calm down, to take it easy, but each repetition of the thought made him want to escape even more.
Several seconds later and Connie had had enough and strode up to the window. It was old, and it looked like it hadn't been opened in more than a century. While the glass and wood looked like they've been scrubbed down to the very molecules, age had proven a worthy adversary for Levi's skilled hands and soap. The edges of the glass were tinted yellow and the wood let off a smell that made Connie cringe. Firmly gripping to the handle, Connie gave a few short shoves, yanking at the metal and pushing at the window with his arm… then shoulder… then fully bracing against it with his body when it refused to give.
His irritation mounted with every passing moment that the window refused to give. He was about to give up when the door suddenly swung open, nearly exactly at the same time the bothersome window finally shoved outwards with a violent creak. Connie only had enough time to let out a startled and confused yelp before he found himself hanging by his waist outside the gaping hole in the wall.
He let out a shout, scrambling his arms to grab at the edge of the window pane, his eyes wildly catching the sight of the fall that waited for him, the way the ground looked so strangely far away.
A sudden hand gripped to the back of his pants before he was firmly yanked back into the room. Connie let out another cry and that was joined by another when the force knocked him and the intruder down on his back.
Hands found their way to grip the back of his head mid-fall, cradling his cranium from hitting the stone roughly. When he looked up, he was met with Li's wide green gaze. He let out a soft grunt, realizing that she was practically laying on top of him.
"You're late." He snapped, narrowing his eyes and trying to hold back the heat that was now staining his cheeks and the stutter his heart was now emitting. At this, Li's eyes fell flat before rolling, a long strand of auburn hair fell from over her ear to tickle his cheek, feather soft.
"You're welcome," She returned dryly, not bothering in being gentle as she retracted her hands from under his head. His head hit the stone then, making him wince.
"Ow," He griped and pushed himself up just as she was pulling away. Scowling, he rubbed at the back of his head, pointedly returning her casual gaze and trying to keep his fingers from shaking. How could she just stand there as if nothing has happened? Because sure enough, she hardly blinked up at him. Just stared. "You know," He began, "if we're going to be meeting like this, might as well be on time."
Li gave him a noncommittal shrug, "I was held back."
"By what?" The question came out easily. Once upon a time, he wouldn't have dared ask—but it seemed that the past few times they had met knocked down those walls fairly easily… or rather… those past few times they ended up ferociously making out. Which still only counted two times… sometimes when they'd be sitting at the table and he dared a glance to her side, he would find himself under an intense stare. He didn't know whether she was imagining ripping his lips off with her own or wanting to kill him…
Maybe both.
The tension didn't ease at all since the stag night, and the topic made his chest churn with irritation, desire, and a sudden curiosity that hadn't been noticed before.
"My sister," Li admitted before sliding down on a chair, Connie blinked in surprise. "She's been on my case since she figured out who you were. I had to plan out and elaborate scheme to distract her and cover my scent."
"How'd you do that?"
"I found Fitz and ordered him to help her pick up a mess in the gardens. I'm sure they're probably talking right now…" She trailed off, a wistful expression on her face that appeared strangely… relieved. Connie tried not to gawk, and found himself sitting down on the other chair. A brisk breeze filtered through the open window, making him shiver. A strange silence filled between them… Well, it felt strange… more because… it honestly felt the closest he could compare it to the word 'comfortable.'
"Your sister…" He said after clearing his throat, and feeling strangely timid in breaking the silence. "You mentioned she was… in love with Fitz?"
Li lifted a hand to brush a trembling lock of auburn from her cheek, raising a brow, "Yeah. You know him right?"
"I think so…" He admitted, trying to remember whether or not that had been the guy that saved Sasha from getting killed just two days ago. His musings stopped short when he realized that there were only two days until the wedding… it's not like it took him by surprise. These past couple of days everyone had been bustling in an out and fixing the dining hall to make it more presentable—even arguments between the MP's and their men had died down due to the added pressure and hype. In these past few days, it was as if everyone had forgotten what had transpired the night of the Poltrabend, rushing this way and that and beaming when Armin and Krista appeared down the hallways hand in hand. Their affection for each other seemed to have taken a contagious edge—even Sasha and Jean were gazing into each other's eyes with syrupy smiles and timid touches that made them both flush.
It was rather sickening… but, it was also pretty nice from the way they had all been before. All brooding faces and scowls…
"I've been trying to set him with my sister for a while now," Li sighed before crossing a leg over the other, leaning an elbow against the table. "She's been ogling him since she met him nearly three years ago. He's a dimwit, though. Can't see sense if someone slapped him with it. Not so different from you, actually."
Connie rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "You're too kind."
Li flashed him a sudden smirk, his stomach wobbled. "Only difference from him and you is that I haven't kissed him yet."
And there it was. Connie felt his cheeks darken once more, still not used to her blunt way of approaching topics and he struggled to hold back from doing something stupid. It didn't help that after she had said that her eyes seemed to have sharpened their focus over him, cutting at his resolution to imitate stone. The more he met her gaze, the more he found his stomach spin with heat. He had to clear his throat again, hating how much her focus thrilled him—hating how she knew how much power she had over him and used it without respite.
"Yet?" He muttered, taking the topic in another direction. Li shrugged again.
"He's been rather smitten by me for a while now. A reason why it's been so hard to get him to focus more on Riza. I don't know though… maybe after we fail this botched up engagement I could give him a chance and see if he's worth the fuss Riza keeps pouring over him."
This was one of those times that Connie wasn't sure she was joking or not. She spoke so casually, as if it were so easy to admit to stealing her sister's romantic affection at the expense of failure. Li's eyes brightened back with yet another epiphany, "Hey, she said you were cute. Maybe you can find a better match with her. We can marry and have equal affairs with the two of them. Give the old marriage values a good turn on their heads, don't you think?"
"Hilarious," He replied, feeling his stomach sour as she continued to speak. Just when he finished speaking did he catch something in her eyes and the sourness faded to a faint comprehension. Wait… "You're angry." He observed.
Li's fingers gave a twitch, but her face did not fall from the light poker it maintained. Yet, Connie had been watching and where her face maintained its composure, her eyes had hardened against his. There it is. Of course, she's angry. She must be. Meaning… this situation with her sister was a lot more personal than she made it out to be. "I'm always angry," She replied with yet another shrug, but her eyes took on yet another sharp edge that challenged him to back off.
He didn't bite.
"I thought you couldn't stand your sister." He pointed out, recalling a time when she had ranted about how she wished she had been an only child. But he didn't know the things he knew about Li then, only half-listening as she went on and on about Riza's thorn-like effects.
"I don't." But her eyes told him another story.
"I don't think so," Connie said, finding himself pushing himself forward to lean his elbows on his knees. "I think you hate the fact that your sister has had such poor luck with this guy. You care more than you let on."
"It's a good thing I didn't ask you what you thought," She shot back and he could practically taste the venom in her throat, the strange way she recoiled when he approached something she wanted to keep out of reach.
"Then why even bring it up?" he asked, edging himself until he was at the end of his seat and several inches closer to her. Li's green eyes narrowed, pink lips pursing almost unnoticeably. "If your sister means that much to you, you should do more than shove her away, Li. Unless…" his mind was racing before he recalled something she had said before smiling and leaning away.
"What…?" her voice was strangely tight.
Connie let out a soft breath that sounded like a chuckle, "Nothing, it's just… you have a funny way of showing your affection is all."
"Oh, really?" She asked and the way she said it made his stomach wobble again. Suddenly, Connie knew exactly what she was going to do. She had done it before. It usually came after he had make a discovery about her personality, a curve ball that she threw at him to make him re-think his musings and try to push the favor back into her hands. He knew this because he was still haunted by the effects of said curve ball examples late at night… still waking up to sweat drenched sheets and tight and moistened underwear…
Connie braced himself the instant she was out of her chair and ambling up to him. He swallowed thickly when his eyes caught the way her hips swayed as she stepped toward him—reminding him far too much of the stag night and the sight of seeing the clothes peeling off her skin…
"Hate to break it to you, Connie." She said, looking down her nose into his eyes, her hand finding its way to brace against his collar and instantly his heartbeat began to gallop into a sprint. "But you should know by now that I'm not affectionate."
Whether it was to gain an advantage or because his body was feeling a strange surge tingle through his veins, Connie didn't know, but he said nothing as he felt his hands rise to grip her hips—making her eyes widen just a fraction and her fingers to shudder against his neck.
"What are you doing?" Her voice had lowered into a whisper and a flash of uncertainty played behind her eyes—she had not expected him to react how he was now.
"Nothing," He replied and could feel somewhat elated when his voice remained steady, as if completely unaffected by her proximity. "But, I could ask you the same thing."
There was a standstill between them that lasted a long moment. Green eyes narrowed, as if accepting a challenge he hadn't been aware he had presented when she was suddenly nudging a knee between his legs. The action made the breath catch in his throat and he could only lift his grip on her hips to tug at her waist, Li shivered and she was digging her hands under his jacket, testing him. It only occurred to Connie then that this was a new game… that the challenge was to see who would break first.
The thrill in his blood nearly scalded him from the inside out and he tried to keep his breathing steady when he let his own hands find the belts at her sides before giving them a firm yank. Li let out a tiny hiss through gritted teeth, emerald gaze darkening as she ran her hands down his shoulders to the firmness of his chest, exploring the taut muscle with greedy fingers. Connie had to bite back the moan growing in the back of his throat, knowing that if he did… he would lose. And losing meant her pulling away… meant her grinning and leaving him in the now cold room in his frustration.
No way.
For a moment, his mind blanked out when her fingers found the belt that crossed his chest, thumbs caressing the sensitive peaks beneath his shirt and his hands fell in surprise at the sensation before gripping something firm and soft.
Li let out a gasp and Connie felt it sober his mind when he noticed that his grip had landed on the curve of her rear. He almost pushed away completely if not for the way she suddenly grabbed his jacket and practically threw him out of the chair.
"Oh, that is it." She growled, eyes heavy with something that made his chest dip into his stomach. "I have had it with you challenging me at every toss and turn."
Connie could feel a touch of outrage at her comment, but was distracted by the color of her freckles deepening in contrast to the flush burning in her cheeks—whether it was angry or otherwise, he could hardly tell. "Get used to it," He retorted and just like that her eyes were widening again and the next thing he knew their lips were crashing against each other and he forgot if he had been the one to move of if it had been her. All that mattered was feeling her kiss him in ways that made his brain scatter completely.
Am I dreaming…? The thought came and went, flying out the proverbial window when he felt her tug insistently at the belts at his side to bring him closer to her chest. His hand had found a spot beneath the cradle of her jaw, plastering his mouth more firmly against hers and not knowing who was seeking entrance into the other's mouth. The second their tongues grazed past each other, Li let out a strange whimper. Her hands slid from his waist to wrap around his neck, bringing him further closer against her and nearly making them topple over from the sudden force.
They stumbled, hips hitting the table and forcing them to break away in order to steady themselves from colliding with the ground.
Green met amber as another brisk wind blew into the room, chilling at their skin and quelling some of the raging heat building in their chests. Connie could feel the desire to grab her again, to taste the strange tart and bitter taste that came from her mouth and understand its complexity in every sense possible, but something made him stop and forced him to listen to the way her breathing shook near his.
"What… is this…?" He asked, Li's eyes crinkled as she frowned, not catching his drift. To emphasize his point, he dipped his chin, lightly nipping at her lips and loving the way her breath caught in a tiny gasp against her throat as he did so.
"I, honestly, do not care," She replied, lifting herself on her toes and making him feel the way their chests rubbed together. Even while her voice sounded controlled, there was an edge to it that made him feel oddly wild. It was unbelievably enticing. "But, you piss me the hell off."
"You're not exactly a sweetheart yourself," He grunted, wanting to roll his eyes, but ended up unable to resist kissing her again. It was like tasting something strange yet exquisite, because it felt both forbidden and liberating. When he pulled away, she was smirking into his eyes, and his chest gave an uncertain lurch that both excited him and frightened him.
"I have a thought," She said before dipping her chin to press her lips against his throat. Connie let out a soft exclamation, his knees wobbling when he felt her tongue lap against his pulse.
"O-o-oh yeah?" He wheezed, voice hitting awkward pitches when she gave his skin a soft nip of teeth. The heat was becoming almost unbearable now.
"We're basically," She pulled away before attacking another part of his skin as his hands roamed under her jacket to fall on the swell of her hips. "Stuck in this," she kissed his jaw, "Ridiculous and inevitable," she moved up toward his ear, Connie nearly whimpered. "Engagement in which we, at some point, have to do it enough times to finally have children…"
"Uh-huh…" He breathed, pushing at her jaw with his before dipping his chin to find the base of her throat. She let out a soft gasp, fingers digging into his jacket when he found a sweet spot.
"So, the way I see it…" She sighed, wrapping her arms closer around his neck to give him more access to her neck. "…Why not make this otherwise horrible experience…Ah…" She pulled away and met his clouded gaze with her own dark one. "A little more… enjoyable?"
Connie felt himself pause, then, "What are you implying?"
"I think you know exactly what I'm implying."
A smirk of his own lifted his lips, nearly scoffing, "Are you implying you want to have sex with me, Hanna Li Dorinski?"
She laughed and the sound made him feel lightheaded, "Getting ahead of yourself, Connie Springer. And no," her words actually made him feel disappointed. She seemed to catch this before smirking with a victorious glint to her eyes. "I don't… but… I'm willing to allow you an audition."
"The hell does that mean?"
"It means, I don't want any strings attached," She rolled her eyes. "The last thing I want is to allow the government any more exclusive rights over me. If I'm obeying orders, I'll at least follow them in the way I can with what freedom I have left."
Connie's eyebrows lifted, surprised and even impressed. He understood exactly what she meant. This whole mandate had forced them to accept the role of giving away their bodies in order to establish Humanity's freedom…this was Li's way of getting retribution, her way of dealing with these new shackles that enslaved them to each other. They may be forced to marry… but if they could control the fate of their own hearts, it would be enough to still make them feel like there was some choice involved.
For the first time in a while, Connie found himself agreeing with her.
"No strings attached?" He asked. She nodded, the motion making their noses brush together.
"None." She confirmed. Connie wrapped the full length of his arms around her waist before hoisting her up on the table, swallowing the gasp she let out when he did so.
"Deal." He said before sealing his mouth against hers and allowing himself a moment to enjoy the way her fingers reached up to run over his scalp while he drowned in the tart and bitterness that was this taste of freedom.
"Make it worth my while."
"Just, shut up."
When Armin woke that Saturday morning, it was to an empty bed and a swollen heart. Blue eyes blinking with startled surprise, he lifted his bed tossed head to look around the expanse of his room, in search of another blonde head that was missing from his side. Curled within his embrace was the soft form of a plush pillow and he had to remind himself why, oh why, was Krista gone from the comforts of bed so early in the morning.
It wasn't until his eyes landed on the fine looking suit hanging over his closet that he felt his brain return to the present and shoot him full of excited adrenaline. Shoving the treacherous pillow away, and spitting out a few strands of hair that had fallen in his mouth while he slept, Armin pulled himself off his bed. Right on cue, several poundings on his door alerted his wide gaze away from the suit and the promise it held when he slid it on.
"Armin!" He heard Jean's unmistakable voice over the barrier of wood and metal. "Rise and shine, buddy! Time to get all prepped up for your wedding day!"
Armin hurried over to his door before yanking it open, fast enough to see Jean flinch away, startled, and looking at him with a wide eyed expression.
"It's my wedding day!" Armin nearly shouted, as if it was the very best day of his life. And it absolutely was.
Jean rolled his eyes, "Good morning to you too, Lance Corporal."
"It's finally here, man!" Armin exclaimed, reaching over to yank Jean into his room, but the taller man lifted a hand to stop him.
"Dude," He scolded, "What did we discuss about manliness?"
The blond soldier nearly threw his arms in the air, "Not this again."
Jean shook his head, "You're about to marry one of the Corps' most beautiful women and you're acting like the bride herself. I knew that mission where you pretended to be Historia would make you behave like a girl."
Armin groaned, "Jean."
Jean fixed him a sturdy glance, "I'm serious. Try again."
The Lance Corporal relented and shut the door back on the man's face, as if completely forgetting he was higher in rank to disregard the other man's orders. Nevertheless, Armin composed himself and donned a mask of calm and so-called 'aloofness' that Jean had been careful in teaching him this past week. Slowly, he opened his door and fixed the expectant man a casual look before jerking his chin up.
"Hey, Jean." He greeted, perfectly calm. "Come on in."
Jean smiled before nodding sagely, "Now that's more like it, my friend." Slapping the groom on the shoulder, the other man walked in the room and waited for Armin to shut the door.
The second the door shut, Jean grabbed Armin by the shoulders before screaming, "You're getting married, man!"
"I'm getting married!" Armin shouted back as the two exclaiming soldiers jumped up and down, laughing and squealing to each other with excitement. For a while they did this, Jean grabbing at one of his pillows before slapping the plush object into Armin's face.
"Okay, okay," Jean snapped, feigning gruffness despite the laughter still falling from Armin's lips. "Calm down. You're a man. Be a man."
Lance Corporal Armin nodded with mock-serious, failing in holding back a grin when Jean reached over to shove him to the side. "You think the girls are freaking out right now?" the blond asked, chuckling after Jean pushed off the side of the bed and adjusted his uniform jacket.
"I think they've been freaking out," He replied with a toothy grin. "Come on, future Mr. Reiss, you've got a suit to put on."
"You got it backwards," Armin laughed and followed them man over to his closet.
"No, I didn't," Jean replied just as Armin agreed.
"No, you didn't."
They shared another laugh and Armin settled on discarding his clothes while Jean reached over to the suit and began to pass him pieces of clothes. "So," Jean jumped straight into it. "Most of the Elite Guard have arrived, and even some of the Court's handlers came in last night. Basically, I'm glad you guys ended up deciding to move the whole thing into the Dining hall—which looks freaking awesome, by the way."
Armin rolled his eyes, before accepting the shirt Jean was tossing over to him and sliding it over his bare arms, "You mean what you and Historia decided."
"For you, by proxy," Jean corrected with a shrug before his face settled into a serious expression. "Wait… did you brush your teeth yet?"
Armin's arms fell, his face contorting into a wide look of exasperation. Jean gawked at him, "Are you freaking kidding me, Arlert? You're getting married to the Goddess of the Corp and you didn't think to brush your freaking mouth? Get out of my face and do it now, man. Nasty—No, no! Don't go and do it with your dress shirt on! You'll get paste all over it and we'll have to find you another one. Take it off!"
"You're worse than Mikasa," Armin grumbled, before unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it over to Jean before disappearing behind the washroom near his closet.
"Did you remember to bathe last night?" Jean shouted as he looked over the clothes.
"Yes!" Armin shouted back, sounding far more exasperated than he had before. Jean let out a short chuckle, shaking his head when Armin returned and having looked as if he had also brushed his hair and washed the rest of his face. "For such talk about being a man, you sure cluck like a mother hen."
Jean frowned at him, "Shut up and put your clothes on—on second thought, don't put the suit on yet."
"—What, why?!"
"You have to eat breakfast and even though you eat far daintier than even Historia, I'm not having any accidents with this suit. She asked me specifically not to allow you to soil your clothes before you get married. Bride's orders."
Armin sighed heavily but obeyed, laughing under his breath when Jean addressed to Krista as the Bride. It filled him to the brim with undying joy and warmth, making him feel lighter than air. Sure enough, he had changed into a simple uniform, going so far as slapping Jean away when the older man attempted to put his hair in a different style from his usual half-up. On their way to the dining hall, Armin was pleased to see bright sunlight cascade through the high windows in the hallways, and as they passed he allowed himself a moment to look up and through the windows toward the sky.
Big puffy clouds hugged the spaces of the massive blue canopy, bright and cheerful despite the past few days cast in dark gray and heavy bursts of wind. It seemed like the wind had blown most of the dark away to give them a rare day of sun.
Armin grinned, beaming up at the strips of blue in the air before glancing back down—only his eyes returned just as quickly back out the windows, smile fading lightly when a flash of green grabbed his attention.
What was…?
"Hey, Armin, you waiting for the weather to change?" Jean called ahead of him. "Come on, let's eat before Sasha finds out their serving hash browns!"
Armin nodded vaguely, his blue eyes roaming the sky above for a sign of the source of the strange flashing green. Are they doing 3DMG drills or something…? He thought to himself. After Jean called him back again, Armin pushed the thought aside before jogging up to match the senior cadet's longer strides. Probably taking advantage of the nice weather, he thought to himself with a shrug. Glad, at least, that more people were enjoying themselves on this day.
The day of his and Historia's wedding.
Soft hands pressed down on white fabric, feeling and relishing the feel of lace and silk against dainty fingertips. Blue eyes took in the sight of the figure looking back in the long mirror. Short, yet regal. It was strange, seeing blonde hair that usually rested in a loose ponytail against her back, tied back into intricate curls and braids against her scalp. Even after the swift hour of hair preparation, her scalp still tingled with the feel of fingers running and tugging at her hair.
It was mid-morning, and Krista was gazing at the image of a woman dressed in white, watching her fidget with the hem of her sash and feeling the way the material fell down to the ground in a short train that ended a foot or so behind her. This woman didn't harbor the same haunted expression she had seen years ago, didn't have the same pain or emptiness that had dominated most of her life and experienced the loss of friends… and a loving partner.
Blue eyes fell over the curve of soft hands, hands that had ripped into Titan flesh with swords and felt the sting of hot blood—it was always a source of surprise to her when people commented on the softness of her palms, as if they could ignore the calluses that had grown over the pads of her fingers.
Standing in front of her, Krista did not see the image of a woman who had been raised as a reject to a noble family, the empty soul of a girl who had been beaten and rejected by a mother that soon died before her very eyes. She didn't even see the soldier that girl had grown up to be, the hardness that had once tightened her blue eyes into sharp ice.
She saw a woman, soft and gentle and full of love—but saw the resolution that made her weight of her hands steady and move in slow touches against the beautiful dress. Not the noblewoman her blood had been bastardized with, but the woman formed by choices and ultimately, the love of her friends.
Krista took a moment and smiled, watching how the smile looked genuine, even felt genuine against her mouth. Sure enough she could see shuffling in the background and saw Mikasa appear behind her, smiling her usual small smile.
"You look lovely, Historia," Mikasa muttered quietly. Krista beamed up at her through the reflection of the glass, cheeks flushing prettily beneath her blue eyes.
"Armin is one lucky guy," Sasha crowed from behind them, sitting out of reach from the mirror's grip. "You look absolutely stunning."
Krista felt her chest swell with warmth. She finally turned away from the mirror to face her comrades fully, gazing at them with a watery gaze that had filled before she could least expect it.
"I'm getting married," She whispered, half sobbing with happiness and Mikasa's gaze seemed to burn with full affection. Behind her, Sasha grinned back, sitting carefully against a plush chair and popping cherries from a large bowl into her mouth.
"You certainly are," Mikasa nodded, lifting her hands to cradle her bare elbows. The soft lilac dress hugged her frame tightly, exposing muscle and toned curves a little too well, much to the girl's obvious discomfort. Krista didn't seem to mind, appreciating the way it made the Oriental look, as it cast her in a refreshing light that made her seem more feminine than a uniform could. "I wish you wouldn't insist on me wearing this, though," Mikasa sighed.
Krista giggled, wiping at stray tears before pressing soft fingers against Mikasa's forearm. "You look beautiful, Mikasa. I'm sure the Captain will love it."
"If he doesn't ravish you the second he sees you, I'm calling gay." Mikasa rolled her eyes at Sasha before extending her arm to let Krista slide her hand to link their palms together. It was a strange contact, as neither woman had ever displayed that kind of physical affection, but there was a warmth in their chests as they smiled at one another, brought together in this rare moment of happiness and camaraderie.
"He better not," the raven haired woman replied, "He's still in trouble."
Sasha let out a bright gasp, "Seriously? It's been practically a whole week! You've got serious will power woman. I don't think I could deal one night without Jean."
"That's because you're depraved," Mikasa retorted and easily dodged the cherry Sasha tossed with a mock-gasp of shock. "And anyway, aren't you done eating already? You've been eating nonstop since breakfast."
The auburn haired woman flashed them a lewd grin, reclining on the chair and adjusting her matching lilac dress to allow her to extend her legs up on the table in front of her. The whole surface was covered in sweets and bottles of wine for the Bride's disposal—and Sasha was milking every bit of it. "What can I say? A girl needs to recuperate the calories burned in the throes of passion."
Krista colored brightly, exclaiming, "Sasha!" The two other women laughed at varying intensities, Mikasa giving soft chuckles to Sasha's boisterous guffaws.
"You'll know what I mean, Historia," Sasha chuckled, wiggling an eyebrow. "Just wait until tonight and you'll know exactly what I mean."
"You're ridiculous," Krista sighed but her lips remained in their bright smiling position, and her cheeks faded in rosy hue as she turned back to look at her reflection in the mirror. "But, I guess you're not wrong, either. It's kind of weird, though… Armin and I have been waiting for this night since before he proposed…"
Mikasa's smile softened as she walked behind the white-dressed woman to grab the bouquet of edelweiss, lilacs and lilies, fingers pushing baby's breath out of the way of the ribbon that held the bouquet together. "The first time is the most special," Mikasa said before turning and placing the arrangement within Krista's waiting hands. "My first time with Levi was the first time I spent with anyone, and it was beautiful as it was sad."
"Sad?" Krista asked, peering up curiously at the taller woman. Mikasa nodded.
"We were both convinced that it would be the only night we would be able to have together," She said softly, lifting a tentative hand to brush the lock of blonde hair that fell between Krista's eyes. "But, when we discovered we were matched together… the night we spent after was far more enthusiastic. You're lucky, Historia. You and Armin were far stronger in your love for each other than either I or Levi could do or understand."
"That's not true…" the young blond denied, frowning lightly. "I mean… I don't think so."
Mikasa blinked with surprise, but said nothing while Krista ducked her chin to look back at the bouquet, feeling sheepish. "Even though you two hurt each other… you were able to forgive each other, and that's a strength not everyone has. Even after so much time was spent in pride… your love was strong enough to overcome that. Armin and I… we admire you both so much."
"Historia…" Mikasa breathed, deeply moved by the shorter woman's words.
"Not just them, though," Sasha piped up, lifting herself off the chair slowly, grimacing with light pain before moving closer to the other two girls. Placing a hand over Mikasa's shoulder, the auburn haired woman beamed up at her, "Jean and I also admire you both, too. You don't realize this, Mikasa, but you and the Captain have done so much more for the rest of us than you know."
Mikasa pursed her lips before smiling, not sure how to take such kind words. "Thank you… both of you."
A sudden knock on the door interrupted the moment between the three women. Exchanging curious looks, Sasha let out a loud, "Who is it?!"
"Li," they heard and Krista's hands tightened over her bouquet. "…And Riza!" they heard another voice pipe up.
Mikasa glanced over at Krista, noting the girl's discomfort. "I can turn them away, if you'd like."
The petite woman gave her a grateful smile, but shook her head, "It's alright. It's my wedding day and I get the feeling Li may want to talk about what happened last week."
"If you're sure," Mikasa nodded, and the two watched as Sasha walked over to the door, brushing them off when Mikasa attempted to stop her. The door swung open to reveal the short and auburn haired senior cadet, at her side stood a taller woman who bore striking similarities in appearances.
"Good morning!" the taller one exclaimed, Riza, if Krista wasn't mistaken. Before they could register, Riza's green eyes brightened when they landed on Krista, gasping loudly and moving quickly past Sasha and Mikasa. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed, lifting her hands to clasp around Krista's grip on the bouquet, smiling brightly. "You must be Krista Lenz—no wait… Historia Reiss! I'm so happy to meet you, and can I just say how beautiful you look? I've always wanted to attend a wedding, so please allow me to attend!"
"Riza," Li's voice came from behind, reprimanding and sounding somewhat embarrassed. "What did we just finish talking about?"
"It's alright," Krista chuckled, but glanced over at the other women with an uneasy smile, no doubt not having expected to be approached so warmly by a stranger. "I'd be happy if you attended…Riza, is it?"
"Riza Alexandra Dorinski," the woman nodded, grinning with all her teeth and gripping her hands a little tighter. "Please call me Riza, I look forward to being your friend!" Krista could only smile back before Riza was pulled away, wincing when Li had grabbed hold of her ponytail and give it a quick yank.
"Please forgive my little sister," Li said, still gripping to Riza's hair and fixing the taller Dorinski a flat glare. "She has little understanding of boundaries."
"Must run in the family," Sasha mused with a smirk. At this Li let go of her sister's hair, cheeks burning and darkening her freckles. The unusual expression made Krista's initial discomfort waver, knowing full well that Sasha's quip had been concerning the stag night.
"About that…" Li breathed before dropping her hands to hide behind her back, a simple 'at ease' stance that would have made her look respectful and attentive, if not for the refusal to meet Krista's blue gaze. "I… want to apologize."
"Apologize?" Krista parroted, feeling surprised at seeing the usually terse woman appear so...vulnerable. Well, vulnerable may not be the right word. People are vulnerable they appear like they've been ripped open. Li looked more like she had forced some of her layers apart…but not all. Li nodded slowly before she fixed them all a piercing stare.
"I don't know you aside from the fact that you are friends of Connie, and aside from other reputations I have heard and been aware of…I wasn't aware of your relationships. I don't have any explanation that can appease you. I was angry, I made a brash decision at the expense of your feelings just to give the guys a good time…" She trailed off before fixing Krista a firm gaze that made the blonde woman jump slightly, "I understand now, that I shouldn't allow my emotions to get the better of me. Please forgive me."
Krista blinked several times, astonished. After a short moment, the bride looked away, contemplating for a short while before smiling and gave Li a nod. "I accept your apology," She said and Li let out a short sigh. "I'm glad that Connie's matched to a girl like you."
Li frowned, "Oh really?"
The blonde giggled, "You seem like you're quite a match for him. Connie's been my friend for a long time now… he believed in me and another dear love of mine when there were few who did so and I've hardly ever seen him look so… put out of his comfort zone."
"Sounds like a bad thing," Riza chortled. Krista shook her head, blonde bangs bouncing against her cheeks and strands of her braided and tied back hair fell. It didn't look bad at all.
"Oh no, if Connie needs anything," Krista grinned. "It's someone who gets him out of that comfort zone. He's so bored all the time."
Li smiled, and rolled her eyes, "Well, I think it's safe to say I put everyone out of their comfort zone. If it helps, Armin never did anything. He just froze and sat there. I think he may have passed out at some point." To their relief and mild surprised, Krista let out a bright laugh that the other girls followed with giggles and chuckles of their own.
"Well, that's good to hear…" The blonde woman giggled, "I think."
"Oh wow," Riza suddenly exclaimed, green eyes widening. "You guys have chocolate?"
Sasha seemed to have caught the contagion of excitement, moving quickly toward a box of the sweets and lifting them up toward the other woman, "Help yourself, Riza! We've even got our own bottle of wine. Lucky for us, Mikasa doesn't like it so more for us." She finished with a wink.
"I don't dislike white wine," Mikasa retorted, crossing her arms and shooting a frown at the bottles of wine and the glasses that had been filled but remained unfinished. "This type just tastes wrong, that's all."
"But, we already tasted them," Krista sighed, "They all taste fine."
"Let me have a taste!" Riza exclaimed and grabbed a glass off the table and chugged its contents down, much to Li's grunt of disapproval. "I've never tried white wine before, it tastes nice! Kind of tart, can't imagine why you hate it," the girl smiled over to Mikasa. The raven haired woman shrugged dismissively. Riza took another sip of the wine before walking over to Sasha, nudging the girl playfully before sitting down on a chair.
"This is so nice," Riza whistled, looking over the nice sitting room and over the spread of candies and drinks, "Can't wait 'til I get married."
If Krista hadn't still been paying attention to the shortest sister, she probably would have missed it. The instant Riza had said that, Li's eyes tightened, as if the comment had wounded her, but made no other motion aside from shifting her weight casually.
"I can't either," Sasha agreed and hesitated in popping a truffle in her mouth, as if just remembering something important. A small smile lit her lips, "And you know, I'm going to beat you there, Dorinski."
Riza cocked an eyebrow while the other women gave her similarly confused looks. Sasha tossed the chocolate into her mouth, blushing, "I wanted to wait until after the wedding to tell you guys the news," She trailed off, taking a moment to swallow back the last of the sweet. Krista's eyes slowly widened, her mind rapidly connecting the dots, the breath left her chest.
Mikasa and Li exchanged curious glances before they were met with Sasha's bright smile of enthusiasm, "Jean proposed a few nights ago."
"What?!" Krista exclaimed, nearly dropping her bouquet as her hands jumped up to her lips. Mikasa's eyes widened and watched as Krista let out a bright squeal and laugh before launching into Sasha's arms, bouncing with happiness. "Sasha, oh my goodness, how wonderful!"
"Congratulations!" Mikasa chuckled after Krista pulled away, giving the tall and blushing girl a warm hug.
"Well, it's about damn time," Li crowed, shaking her head with a smile of her own. "Didn't think Kirschstein had it in him."
As if on cue, another knock struck the door, pausing the ecstatic squeals from Sasha and Krista's direction. Instead of waiting for an invitation, the door slid open and Jean's head peeked in, looking partially alarmed. "Speak of the devil," Li hummed.
"Is everything okay? I heard screaming." He said as he stepped into the room and deciding everyone was decent. He wasn't wearing the usual uniform, instead his body was dressed in a black suit that appeared too well fitted—hugging his chest and waist in a way that instantly caught the women's attention. Sasha blushed, smiling stupidly when she looked him over. He didn't seem to notice, eyes landing on the person closest to the door—which ended up being Li—and narrowed. Nose wrinkling, he lifted a finger at her, asking gruffly, "Oi, what are you doing here?"
"Telling your girlfriend how much you loved me taking my clothes off," Li replied with a smirk, not at all affronted by his rude greeting. "Thanks for the extra euros, by the way. They really kept my hip warm." The unexpected comment made Jean sputter, his cheeks flushing bright red and looking absolutely shocked.
"I didn't—!" He began, looking away in time to meet Sasha's gaze. The stupid smile was gone now, lips curling downward at Li's words. Sasha gave Jean a violent stare, pulling away from Krista's embrace to burn accusatory daggers against her boyfriend's expression.
"What's this about you putting money under her underwear, Jean?"
"Oho, Jean's in trouble. Is the wedding off then?" Riza asked through a mouthful of chocolate, giggling behind a hand. Jean shot Riza another glare.
"Oh, shut up, Riza. You're as bad as your sister." He snapped before looking back at Sasha with a sheepish smile.
"No, she's not." Li retorted but didn't fight back the grin that followed when Sasha took several steps toward Jean. He looked absolutely ready to faint.
"Sasha, before you get mad, I just want to first say, I was really drunk—,"
The red-haired woman flared, "Oh?! Real drunk, were you?!"
"Poor choice of an opening sentence," Riza sighed, Li and Mikasa nodded in agreement. Before the argument could scale any further, Krista was taking several steps between them, lifting her hands (plus bouquet) in a ceasing supplication, blue eyes in a firm stare.
"None of this! The both of you!" She scolded, "I'll have no fighting or problems on my wedding day, or so help me I'll call Captain Levi and have him and Mikasa throw you two in the kitchen dumpster!"
"Sasha would love that!"
"Shut up, Riza!" Everyone sans Mikasa exclaimed. The girl shrugged and returned to stuffing chocolates in her mouth.
"Apologize!" Krista huffed, glaring pointedly at Jean. A silence filled them while Jean scowled, looking like he had been caught lying about something ridiculous but relented after Krista gave him an especially firm frown, when he looked back up, Sasha was pointedly keeping her gaze elsewhere.
"I'm…sorry, Sasha." Jean sighed, "I'm sorry I stuffed my money down Li's underwear."
"I'm not." Li chuckled but closed her mouth after a pointed look from everyone else. Riza giggled and tossed her sister a chocolate. The girl caught it and popped it in her mouth before doing a zipping motion over her lips with her fingers. Nodding, Krista looked back at Jean.
"That's not what you should be apologizing about. The whole stag night was a bad idea, Jean. It was insensitive."
"Holding bachelor party for Armin?" Jean exclaimed, looking exasperated.
"Hiring Li as the stripper for the party," Mikasa clarified, rolling onyx eyes toward the other women. Li shrugged but said nothing while Sasha and Krista nodded. "Eren did try to tell you it was a bad idea."
"Yeah but I didn't hire Li, Eren did that!" Jean said defensively.
"Because you pressured him," Krista huffed, pressing a slender digit against Jean's chest. "And besides, how would you feel if you found out Sasha had some guy do to her what Li did to Armin? Exactly. Get it now? You owe me and Sasha an apology."
At this point, Jean let out a sharp huff of air, blushing under all their attention. "Fine, fine…" He grumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck and looking thoroughly reprimanded. "I'm sorry I pressured Eren into hiring Li as the strip—whoa hold on, you didn't have to say yes!" He exploded, whirling on Li.
Again, the girl shrugged, "And I already apologized for that. Nice try. Now finish apologizing."
Chest deflating, Jean gave a huge sway of his arms, exasperated but let his hands fall to his hips. From the corner of her eyes, Krista caught Sasha taking a peek back over to Jean's clothes, a tinge of a blush staining her cheeks. "Alright, I'm sorry for getting a stripper for Armin's bachelor party—especially after he had told us not to… and even though it was hilarious to see Armin freeze up like he did…" He added with a chuckle, but trailed off when the women (save Li and Riza, they smirked) didn't seem to find the humor in his statement. He sighed again, "I'm sorry, Krista… Sasha. It won't happen again."
"It better not," Sasha grumbled but pushed past Krista to grab onto his tie before pulling him down for a kiss. "Unless it's from you, then it better not."
The rest of Jean's face burned a bright red, but returned his girlfriend's kiss with a hidden grin. When they pulled away, Jean looked over to the other women with a pleasant look, "Well, it's nice to see you girls all dressed up. Historia, you look especially lovely."
"Flattery really is his best weapon," Mikasa said wryly to the other redheaded women. Li and Riza shared a chuckle at that, much to Jean's chagrin.
"But, speaking of Eren," He spoke again, lacing his fingers through Sasha's when she pulled against his chest and kissed his jaw. "Mikasa, you wouldn't know if he's back yet, would you?"
At the mention of her brother, Mikasa let out a soft sigh of disappointment, "I don't. When the left on Monday, all I got from him was a note he had given Keiji to pass to me. It only said that they'd be back in time for the wedding."
"He does know the wedding's at noon, right?" He asked, frowning again. Krista's eyebrows linked together over her nose, looking away thoughtfully. "He's only got three hours until then."
Mikasa pursed her lips, straightening from her place by one of the chairs to move toward them, "I'll go find Levi, maybe he knows about them arriving."
"I don't." Levi's voice appeared from behind the open door, appearing from behind Jean. He was also dressed in a black suit that seemed to fit too well, dark hair combed back save a couple of strands that fell over his forehead despite the fingers that flicked them back. The second Jean and Sasha stepped away to give him better walking space, the women in the room all let out tiny gasps, drinking in the image of Captain Levi so impeccably dressed. Mikasa's cheeks burned a bright scarlet, admiring her fiancé and frozen mid-stride. In a flash, Levi's attention landed over Mikasa and he too froze, jaw going slack as he looked over her bare shoulders and the color of lilac draped around her form in a dress that hugged her curves and flared below her hips.
It was as if someone had switched the room for a furnace, and soon everyone could feel themselves bake before the power of Levi and Mikasa's smoldering stares into each other's eyes. A small smirk lit over the corner of Levi's lips, (Riza gave yet another little gasp and began to fan herself) and he seemed to really enjoy the attention from Mikasa because he was slowly placing his hands in his pockets.
"You look nice," He said, jerking his chin. Mikasa's shoulders hitched just a fraction before she was taking several steps closer to him, her fingers reaching for his lapels like magnets attracted together. Similarly, Levi's hands were lifting to meet the swell of her hips, eyes never leaving hers and smirk staying pleasantly tugged over his mouth.
"You look delectable," Mikasa muttered, and it would've been quiet if not for the fact that everyone was watching them with the same fascination one would have for an open flame.
"Enough for you to stop being mad at me?" He challenged, thumbs brushing her sides. Even Li looked like she was about to be consumed by the tension between them.
"Almost," Mikasa said and kissed him on the nose. Levi rolled his eyes and reached over to kiss her lips before Krista cleared her throat, raising a brow and a smile at the two of them.
"I don't mean to interrupt," The blonde said, crossing her arms and letting her bouquet rest on the crook of her elbow. "But, we were wondering about Eren?"
Levi's face molded back into its usual flat expression of simple appraisal, yet his hands only further tugged Mikasa further against him—as if it was the most natural thing to do. "All I am aware of is that Hanji's team is set to arrive today. When exactly, that I don't know. For all we know they're on their way."
"Let's hope so," Jean said, keeping his gaze away from Levi and Mikasa, so settled on meeting Sasha's gaze, "Armin's been really worried since breakfast. Hardly touched his food when we found out Eren hadn't gotten back yet. Ticks me off, Eren's his best man and the guy can't even be on time for that."
"I'm sure he's trying his best to get here on time," Mikasa quipped, bristling slightly at the criticism towards her brother. "The wedding is not for another three hours, that's plenty of time."
"Like I said," Jean said, shaking his head. "Let's hope so."
Sensing another argument rising from catching the hardened look Mikasa was now giving Jean, Krista let out a deep sigh, letting her hands fall and pressed her bouquet into Sasha's hands. Sasha frowned, looking at Krista with concern, "You alright, Historia?"
"I'm just tired…" the girl sighed, letting her hands fall back over her lacy hem and feigning exhaustion. "It's been a really busy morning, can I get a little while to rest?"
"Anything for the bride," Jean piped up beneath similar agreements from everyone else in the room. Almost immediately, everyone else in the room began to shuffle out.
Levi patted Krista's head softly before giving her a soft look, "Rest well," He said before walking out, Mikasa giving her an equally soft gaze and even an affectionate touch to her shoulder. Krista smiled warmly at them, waving as Jean ushered Sasha out and they both gave her happy smiles.
"If you need anything," Li's voice startled her from behind. Turning, Krista saw the soldier appear strangely sheepish, "You can give me a call. I don't think Jean will be available after Sasha saw him in that suit."
Krista's cheeks burned pink again, catching Li's implication with a giggle, "I don't think so, either. Thank you." Li gave her a short nod before brushing past her, Riza following in tow with several chocolates stuffed in her mouth and pockets. "Actually," Krista called and the two women paused to look at her, "If it's not too much to ask… I would appreciate it if you joined my bridesmaids…"
Green eyes widened, Riza looking extremely excited whilst Li appeared like she'd been punched in the gut, "Oh, uh," the shorter woman stuttered, "Thanks, but I'm not really cut out for dresses or that sort of thin—,"
"Nonsense!" Riza exclaimed through a chocolaty grin, chewing quickly and swallowing, the taller Dorinski looked over the moon. "Li would love to be one of your bridesmaids! Wouldn't you, Hanna?"
Li paled, giving Krista a distressed looking glance, "I don't think I—I mean, it's a nice thought, but—,"
Hands clamping on her sister's shoulders, Riza gave Krista a joyful smile, "I'll have her get ready in no time. I don't know if I have a dress that's the same shade as Mikasa's or Sasha's though, that won't be a problem will it?"
Krista grinned, "Actually, we got an extra dress in that closet there. I had it ordered just in case Sasha ended up ruining hers." Riza let out a bright whoop of success, pushing past Li's frozen figure to search out the extra dress.
"I don't think that's necessary," Li tried again, looking more and more out of comfort when Riza pulled out the lilac dress on a hanger. "Really, I'm no good for these things. I'll probably screw something up or whatever."
"Oh shut up, Hanna Li," Riza snapped, looking so similar to her sister that it made Krista nearly do a double take. Instantly, the expression fell and she gave Krista a brilliant grin, "She'll be ready in an hour, so you rest your pretty blonde head while I work my magic."
"Thank you," Krista chuckled, watching Riza flounce toward the door, hooking her elbow through her sister's arm and tugging Li's still protesting body out the door.
"Come along, sister dearest! Time to make you pretty!" With a final glance back, Li heaved a heavy sigh, before being thoroughly dragged out of the room. When the door shut, Krista let out another happy chuckle and looked toward the back door of the sitting room.
"That out of the way," She spoke to herself, patting herself on the back for buying herself foolproof time out of everyone's attention. With a few steps, she moved over toward the couch and leaned over to pull back the sheer fabric that covered the windows, smiling when she noticed the sky was practically empty of all clouds, leaving nothing but bright blue skies and sun drenched foliage.
Carefully, lifting at her dress, Krista moved over to the door and pushed it open. The door was yanked out as a sharp gust of wind blew into the room, making her yelp with surprise. Sunny it was, but it was still rather windy. Krista was glad, yet again, at Jean's thinking. It wouldn't do them any good if the sun was out but the wind was ready to toss the rest of everyone off the ground—well… there were a few choice people Krista wouldn't mind being blown away… that's for sure.
Moving out wasn't so bad, the wind rose and fell. Sometimes hard, sometimes dwindling into a brisk breeze. Shivering against the cold air, Krista pushed the door closed and moved through the grass. Dress whipping around her legs, the young bride moved through the grounds slowly, but surely.
Sure enough, she found an area where the hallways opened up to let in air and easy access to the fields. Careful not to be spotted, she breathed a sigh of relief that ended in her teeth clacking together when she found little to no one around—not doubt following inspections and helping out with the last touches the dining hall needed before it was ready. Commander Erwin had ensured that all other activities would be suspended to make way for the wedding, making it so that for the rest of the day everyone could enjoy the festivities and the happy occasion.
Moving away from the grass and nearly slipping on rocks (she never wished for her standardized boots more than ever. The soft white flats were lovely but did nothing to protect her from the cold of the wind or whipping leaves. She nearly twisted her ankle over a particularly uneven bit of ground and her legs were already aching where she had broken them) Krista was happy her feet were finally over even stone and quietly moved through the hallways.
It was warmer inside and she had to take special care not to be spotted as there were still the occasional soldiers moving about. It took her longer than usual, but as she got closer to her destination, Krista could feel her determination lift the closer she got. A couple of turns here, a couple of careful ducks out of sight there, and the perfume of flowers soon reached her nose as her reward.
Smiling to herself, she peered over the side of the hallway and deeming it clear, she quickly stepped through the open threshold of the gardens. Her eyes were quickly graced with the sight of various colors and sunlight, bright and soft all at once she took a step in and inhaled deeply. The smell was strong but pleasant and just a bit of a breeze entered the area from above. When she glanced up, she saw one of the sky windows had been opened a bit to let in some air, making the blistering room feel cooler but still warm under the bright sunlight.
She didn't need to search far. When she stepped past a few large pots of Calla Lilies she was greeted with the sight of Armin sitting on the bench by the spruce sapling, eyes closed as he drank in the sunlight. The sight made her heart give a little flutter, his hair had been carefully combed into its usual half-up style, body covered in a rich black suit that shimmered at the hems. In his hands he spun a long stalk of edelweiss mindlessly. While his stance on the bench gave him an air of relaxation, she caught the slight wrinkle of his brows over the bridge of his nose. She knew in a heartbeat that he was probably still worried over Eren's absence.
Smiling to herself, she drew near, "Armin." She called out softly.
"Historia?" Armin's eyes opened, surprised and when he saw her, his eyes quickly squeezed shut. "Wha—what are you doing here? I can't see you, yet!" He exclaimed, quickly lifting a hand to cover his eyes and turn his body away from her. "It's bad luck, don't you know?"
Krista giggled, but allowed him to fuss, "It's okay, you didn't really see me." Gently, she took a seat beside him and angled her body to face away from his. Leaning back so their spines touched, she felt him stiffen, "See? It's okay."
Steadily, Armin relaxed. Straightening to better support her, he drew out a soft sigh, and she could tell he was trying not to look back at her. "What are you doing here?" He asked her after a short and comfortable silence.
"Jean told me you were worried. I can't have that on my wedding day, you know." She replied, lacing her fingers over her knees as she lifted her dress to hug her legs, drawing her knees up to her chest on the bench. Armin chuckled, she could feel it on her back and it made her smile.
"How'd you know I would be here?"
"I'm about to become your wife," she replied easily. "I think a bride should know a few good things about her future husband, don't you think?"
Armin laughed at this, "Fair enough."
Another pleasant silence filled the space between them, leaving them to enjoy the smells and breeze that fell around them softly. After some time, Krista felt Armin lean his head back, skull meeting hers gently as he looked above them, "I'm not mad."
"I know."
"It's just," He began, sounding frustrated. "He's always been there… I know I shouldn't doubt him, but I can't help but worry that… I don't know… he forgot or something."
"Do you think he'd forget?"
"No."
"Then I think you have nothing to worry about," She said, shaking her head to gently nuzzle him. A strand of gold fell past her ear and she stopped the motion, wincing when she realized she may have undone one of her braids. The thought was brushed away as Armin gave another slow exhale.
"He'll be here, Armin." Krista soothed, lifting her hand to reach behind her and catching his suit sleeve. His hand quickly fell for their fingers to interlink, her thumb finding its usual spot above his. "If it makes you feel any better… we can hold back the wedding until he arrives."
Armin let out a short breath that resembled something like a laugh. He shook his head, "You're unbelievably amazing. You know that?" Krista nudged her shoulder back against his, grinning. "Thanks, but… I can't make you wait any more. This is your big day, and I won't get in the way of that."
"Armin…" Krista sighed before shifting and grabbing at his chin. He turned at her insistence, but his eyes remained firmly closed. She fought back the urge to roll her eyes, deciding to just lean in and kiss him, instead. Their lips met in a pleasant touch, gentle and sweet. When she pulled away, his cheeks were flushed, but his eyes stayed close. "This is your big day, too. We've waited a few weeks to be married… what's an hour or two more?"
He tilted his cheek, letting her fingers caress his skin with soft touches while a smile bloomed over his lips. "An hour sounds infinite."
"It's your choice," She whispered, drawing him close to press their foreheads together, one of his hands found her waist. "If you want, I can make it so we wait a little longer for Eren."
"Are you sure that's okay…?" His voice was small, as if he didn't like the idea of asking her to do something that felt like such a big deal. Krista kissed him again, letting her fingers dig into his hair as she cradled him close.
"It's more than okay." She said against his lips and he let out a relieved sigh through his nose. After another moment, she pulled away to sit against his back, their fingers meeting again urgently with the necessity to touch. Another long silence passed between them comfortably when Armin gave her shoulder a soft nudge.
"So," He asked, sounding a lot less stressed as he had before. "Lady Reiss, how does it feel to be marrying a lowly commoner such as myself?"
Krista let out a soft grunt, feeling the title dip a sour taste behind her teeth. "A lot better than it would be marrying some pompous noble."
"You sure?" Armin asked after a time. "Sounds like it would be nice. Marrying a guy with a lot of money, a big mansion with a lot of servants and all the food you can eat… better than dealing with an army pension and dorms, yeah?"
"Gosh, you've convinced me," Krista cooed dramatically, "I'm going to run off now and find me the richest nobleman in the King's court and marry him instead. Or her. Definitely her."
"Oi," Armin grunted, but she could hear the smile in his voice and wasn't too bothered by his nudge against her back. Krista laughed, knowing he was probably rolling his eyes.
"I'm happy, Armin." She admitted, resting her head against his shoulder with a contented sigh, "That's something that no other person, no matter how rich, can give me. At least this way… I'm marrying for love, and that's worth the twin sized bed and a life of rickety floors."
"It's a full size now. Lance Corporal's get full sized beds."
Krista let her eyes fall close, enjoying the warmth of the sunlight, "That's enough space for an extra little person." Armin's hold on her fingers tightened, the sensation sparking a brilliant heat through her chest that made her feel delightfully giddy,
"I'll send a request to the Commander to see if I can get us a King sized bed then."
"Don't you dare," she huffed but the huff ended with a giggle that easily morphed into a contagious laugh. Giggles subsiding, another thought hit her, making the laughs fade. "…Historia Arlert…" she spoke. Armin stiffened.
"It sounds nice…" He said.
"Nicer than Krista Lenz… better than Historia Reiss… both those names belong to someone who isn't me…" She said, lifting a hand to catch a floating petal that had been lifted from its flower after another cool breeze. "But… Historia Arlert… that's a name I can really fit into."
"I'm glad you think so," Armin said, but his voice sounded tight—no doubt getting overemotional again—before clearing his throat. "Because I don't know about you, but Armin Reiss and Armin Lenz sound completely ridiculous."
The laugh that burst from her lips was heartfelt and beautiful, making the warmth that surrounded them feel light and perfect. Krista knew that she wanted nothing more than to sit by this man's side for the rest of her life—because for the second time in her life… she felt truly loved.
And for the first time, she felt like it would actually last.
His mouth still tasted like blood. Iron and rust, sharp and bitter. Blinking blearily, Eren tried to focus on the feel of his reigns against his fingers, but every step the horse took felt like a jarring stab against his hands, making the bandages around them feel more constricting than soothing.
Glancing at his hands, he couldn't help but scowl when he saw the faded pink on white—noting how his hands were still bleeding in crescents and would probably be needing a change soon. Ahead of him, Hanji rode in silence, her green cloak flapping behind her as they traveled at an easy trot. It had gotten windier the closer they got to the castle, forcing strange gales to whip at them in odd angles.
The brisk wind felt nice against his wounds, at least, giving them a numbing touch that the swelling and heat had stabbed and ached. Still, there were times that the jostling made the bandages feel like they were rubbing against his skin, irritating the bites and make him feel nauseous.
But, it was not the pain of his bandaged hands that caused the hole in his chest. Rather… it was what they meant, that made his heart feel like it had been sucked into some kind of vacuum and mashed to a pulp.
He had been staring at his objective for a while, remembering the way it felt to be in control of his Titan form, the emotions that allowed the power to flow through his veins like a fierce explosion of heat and static. Sure enough, he gave a nod and waited until everyone was out of the way before he took in a sharp inhale and bit down at the space beneath his thumb. He felt pain, then felt skin break before his mouth was flooded with his blood. Heat rose in his body and Eren let out a shout of pain, knees caving as he fell forward.
Blood dripped down his chin and arm, hot and oozing. For a moment, he thought it had been enough but the peak of heat had been too soft. Not enough… Eren closed his eyes, and bit down harder, skin screaming where his teeth sunk and tried not to scream again. The heat rose again, but perished in a single moment.
Eren unhinged his jaw, wincing, and spat out blood. The red substance struck the ground with a splatter, staining green stalks with its violent shade and dripping into the soil. Minutes later, he heard footsteps and when he glanced up, Hanji was looking at him with a strange expression. Neither disappointed or excited… just… focused.
"What did you feel?" She asked, behind her approached Moblit with a notepad. Eren told her, explaining every sensation in as much detail as he could, before cradling his injured hand against his shirt—the material staining with red and pain as he tried to staunch much of the pour that was starting to make his hand feel too warm… and too cold all at once.
After he had finished dictating and Moblit had stopped scribbling, Hanji remained standing there, peering down at his hand with a pursed look. They waited, watching her as her eyes stared off into the distance before she glanced back up at the young man kneeling in front of her.
"Do you think you can try again?" She asked.
Eren let out a soft groan, feeling his nerves fray. These past few days have been nightmarish. He had had poor sleep, his body was still protesting much of the exercises she had him do and perform… he tried very hard to keep from exploding on her, tried to keep his anger in check—because if he did transform now, the last thing he could afford was killing Hanji just because of a few days of rotten sleep and exhaustion—no matter how tempting it sounded.
"Gimme… a second." He grunted, trying to sound normal but ended up spitting the words through his teeth. God… it hurt like hell. He had nearly forgotten what it was like to feel a pain like this and for so long. "Agh!" He snarled, snapping a feral gaze back up to the bespectacled woman. "Why am I not healing?!"
Hanji said nothing, her eyes crinkling behind her glasses. After a moment, Eren had looked away, panting (when did he start breathing hard?) and wanting nothing more than to hit something now. "Okay, you know what, why don't you please just tell me what the hell I'm torturing myself here for, yeah? Can you please give me that, Hanji?" He growled.
Moblit scowled but kept his lips shut. The woman's lips tightened and she let out a sigh, "I'm not sure if we should, Eren."
"Well, why the hell not?!" He honestly hated how his voice sounded so weak, so whiny. If Annie were here now—No. None of that. No more thinking of Annie.
Hanji opened her mouth to say something before pausing, she seemed to be thinking at a speed even he couldn't comprehend. Finally, she bent down to crouch before him, looking into his eyes with a tired expression, "A lot is happening right now, Eren. I need you to trust me. Okay? I can't tell you everything right now, but I can tell you that if my theory is correct… that means that you're the last that carries the titan gene."
"Didn't we already check that theory out?" Eren asked, grimacing when he felt the blood seep against his shirt and drip down his abdomen.
"…We've had some more information come to light that challenged that theory…" Hanji muttered softly, lifting a hand to pinch at the bridge of her nose. The young titan shifter frowned for a moment at her words. Then, his eyes widened, heart jumping to his throat.
"Wait… what do you mean?"
She met his gaze after adjusting her glasses, speaking bluntly, "You may not be the last Titan as we had thought."
Another jostle and Eren let out a shuddered breath through his teeth, reminding himself to breathe and to keep from using his hands any more than he needed to. As soon as Hanji had told him that, Eren had returned to their experiment with new zeal, wanting nothing more than to feel like her words could be right.
He needed them to be right.
Because if he could transform, it meant that he wasn't the last one.
It meant that there was still something he could do.
It meant that Annie could still be alive.
But each bite, each new wound that he self-administered brought him nothing. Each painful rip of teeth on skin only brought heat, but no static. Even though his mind envisioned his objective clearly, his endgame perfectly, his desire fiercely…all he felt was heat pooling against his mouth, staining him with red failure and a sharp taste of desperation that clung to his tongue even after he had swashed his mouth endlessly with water.
That had been two days ago. And still… his body refused to heal as fast as it had once had. As if it had been truly exhausted from every inch that granted him the power that had saved his family, his friends. No matter how hard he tried to focus on the memory of Annie's words, the power never came.
In the end, they forced him to stop after he started seeing spots and the blood loss had left him feeling faint and hysterical. The night that had followed was drenched with tear-stained dreams and the image of Annie falling away from him no matter how hard he ran through the nightmares and reached for her. Now, more than ever, Eren felt truly desolate.
They woke at dawn on Friday, conducting a final experiment to test if his healing had truly slowed. Eren didn't find it in himself to care and just followed through the motions, drained and wanting nothing more than to crawl into bed and forget. To his relief, Hanji had let him return to his cot to rest, recognizing that it was about time he had some time to himself. Sleep deprived and stressed to the point of apathy, the second his head hit the pillow, Eren allowed himself to cry and fade to a sleep where he dreamt of Annie sitting at his side and holding his hand while they watched blue flowers sway in a summer breeze.
At around noon, Hanji had woken him up to help him pack. "We're heading back home, Eren." She had said. She changed his bandages and checked other vitals, using a small compact to reflect light into his pupils. "No changes?" She inquired. Eren only shook his head, hating speech and hating the pain that made him feel like such a pathetic shell.
He watched as officers packed his things for him (his wounds hadn't improved), heaving his trunk of clothes and things into the back of the travel cart. It was midafternoon by the time they were heading off. Their pace was slower than when they had left the castle, no doubt made easier for him. Breakfast had come and gone, lunch and dinner passing in the same fashion. By the time they had managed to come close to the main road, Eren nearly fell off his horse—completely exhausted.
"Eren!" Hanji had exclaimed when he fell to his knees by his horse—they had been taking a break and his hands were bleeding through his bandages. A series of footsteps rushed toward him, but none neared him—fearing a sudden transformation even though the sun had already set on the horizon. He doubted he'd be able to transform then, even if he could do so.
"How does it hurt, Eren?" Hanji asked, her voice closer than everyone else.
"Like hell…" He grunted, wiping sweat off his forehead with his upper arm and grimacing when his hands pulsed painfully.
"Moblit, pitch tents, we'll make camp here."
"Wha—no!" Eren shouted, looking up to see Hanji's startled face. "I can keep going, Hanji. I promise."
"Eren, you're completely exhausted," She pointed out, shaking her head. "I know you want to be on time for Armin's wedding, but it's not until tomorrow and we've only got a few hours of travel distance. We rest now, and wake up early. You need to sleep."
He didn't protest much after that, not like he could anyway. After Hanji had deemed it safe, a pair of soldiers had approached and carefully lifted him, mindful of his hands. When their tents were pitched and his cot ready, Eren only had to wait for Hanji to change his bandages, nearly falling asleep as she hummed softly to herself.
"What's that song…?" He murmured, blinking through sleep-heavy eyelids. In the dim light of his tent, he saw her smile—almost ruefully.
"It's a lullaby," She replied, writing down some data on a notebook after she looked over his wounds. Eren nodded softly, feeling himself drift off as she finished wrapping the last of the wrappings.
"Reminds me… of my mom." He admitted, and he would've asked why she stiffened, why she had suddenly looked up at him with an expression of such broken affection and tender sadness. Instead, she slowly pushed him against his covers and brushed the hair from his forehead. He felt something feathery and soft press against his scalp, but was too tired to tell what it was.
"Goodnight, Eren…" Hanji's voice was the last thing he had heard before he drifted.
The following morning, his hands felt slightly better and his body didn't protest as loudly when he stood to get ready. The sun was already in the sky to the Far East, casting their path with bright light and warmth that was only quelled as the wind picked up.
Breakfast was bread and dried fruit, and by the time they hit the road the sun had pushed its way closer to the roof of the sky. It was at this point that Eren could feel his stomach begin to tighten with anxious anticipation. The wind had picked up, slapping against them before pushing behind them, making cloaks and fabric flap loudly at their skin.
It was almost impossible to be heard over the wind but Eren had to know, "Hanji!" He shouted. He had to shout nearly three more times until the woman ahead of him turned around, auburn hair whipping around her face when her hood fell back. "How much longer until we get back?"
"At this pace?" She called back, biting her lip. "Probably not until this afternoon!"
Eren let out a cry of shock before spurring his horse to trot beside Hanji's. "That's too late, Hanji!"
The woman waved a hand, flippant, "Why ever so? It'll give you plenty of time for you to get ready and be at the wedding!"
Eren shook his head, "Hanji, what are you talking about? The wedding's at noon!"
She scowled, "No, can't be! I distinctly remember being told it would be at sunset!"
"They changed that," Eren sighed, exasperated. "Armin and Historia decided to do it at noon. They told me about it last week after the poltrabend!"
There was a moment of stunned silence from Hanji, before she gave him a sheepish smile, "Uhm…" She laughed, "Oops?"
"HANJI!" he wanted to strangle her, but Hanji only laughed instead.
"Not to worry, we'll pick up the pace! Are you sure you can, though? Your hands are still wounded."
"It doesn't matter," Eren growled, "I can get them wrapped up when we get there."
Hanji shrugged, "Alright. We're picking up the pace!"
He didn't wait for the rest of the company to start, Eren was already kicking at his horse, gritting his teeth when the animal burst into a powerful gallop. He heard Hanji shout at him but he didn't bother looking back and soon enough, he could hear the thunder of hooves striking the ground behind him. His hands and legs were howling at him, begging him to be gentler. He set his jaw, keeping his teeth tight and baring as much pain as he could, hoping against time that they would make it.
Just wait a little longer, Armin. He thought as he flicked his reigns and suppressed a snarl of agony. I'm almost there, buddy.
The taste of chocolate didn't feel so nice when it was hammered by nervousness. Armin chewed on the sweet Jean had tossed to him mindlessly, glancing out the window every so often and hoping to see a sign of a caravan approach the walls of their castle. In the bright of the day, Armin saw nothing but a long and peaceful landscape, and a glance at the dining hall doors made him let out a thin snort of exasperation.
Footsteps approached and when Armin turned he saw Jean, scowling. "Anything?" The Lance Corporal asked, wiping the remains of chocolate that stuck to his sweating fingertips on a napkin his friend provided. Jean shook his head before sighing deeply.
"It's nearly one in the afternoon," Jean said, "People are starting to worry what's the hold up. I just spoke to Krista and the girl is nearly drunk from drinking so much white wine. Mikasa and Sasha had to hide the bottles to keep her from overdrinking."
Armin let out a low growl, yanking a hand over his hair and tossing another look out the window. "Come on, Eren, where are you?" He muttered, blue eyes scanning the horizon with a frown.
"Armin…" Jean spoke, "I think we've waited long enough."
"No." Armin grunted.
"But—,"
"I said, no, Jean. I'm not about to get married with my best friend missing. Something must have gone wrong, otherwise he'd be here."
Jean let out a slow sigh, rubbing a hand to the back of his head as he tried to think of something else to say. "I know that Eren being here means a lot, Arm…" He hesitated, waiting for the blond man to protest. When he didn't, he proceeded, "But, you have to start thinking about Historia. I know she agreed to wait a little longer… but the MP's are starting to get suspicious and the men from the High Court are starting to ask questions. The last thing we need is them trying to start some kind of ridiculous investigation and questioning the validity of your marriage vows. Things are bad enough already…"
He trailed off, watching Armin's shoulders slump as he spoke and feeling some hope that the lance corporal would listen to reason. Armin slowly turned, giving Jean a disappointed look.
"Tell Historia to give me another fifteen minutes." He stated. "If Eren's still not here by then… we move on with the wedding."
Jean gave him a nod, lifting a hand to his shoulder and giving him a firm squeeze, "Don't worry." Jean said with a light smile, "Better late than never, yeah?"
Armin returned the smile with another nod, "Yeah…"
But fifteen minutes later, there was still no sign of Eren or the company, and twenty minutes later, Armin could hear the soft music of the instrument—they had called a piano—play a soft and happy melody that echoed through the hall. It was time.
Nerves shot through his stomach as he began to walk toward the entrance where he would meet his bride to walk down the aisle, and while his disappointment for Eren's absence brought shards of sadness to cling to his chest, they were not so biting when he remembered who exactly he was marrying today. A short moment later, Captain Levi appeared around a corner, hair mussed rather than combed and a strange look of contentment glistening behind his usually stoic eyes. He was busy adjusting his tell-tale cravat around his neck as he stepped close, blinking curiously when Armin offered him a nerve-wrecked smile.
"You ready?" Levi asked, and Armin gave him a series of rapid nods that soon morphed into head shakes.
"I, uh… I'm not sure." Armin chuckled breathily, feeling faint as he rambled. "What if I trip? Or worse, make her trip? God, what if we both trip and make everyone else trip? Eren still isn't here—dammit he'd probably be able to make sure I don't trip."
"Oi, Armin," Levi called, lifting two hands to press against the panicking soldier, gazing gun-metal blue eyes into Armin's frantic azure. "Take a deep breath."
The blond nodded and swallowed a large gulp of air—"Slower,"—and proceeded to exhale through his lips. Fingers still shaking, he met his superior's gaze. "Good," Levi said, "Now, don't worry. Take slow steps, hold on to her arm carefully and focus on the reason why she makes you happy."
"But, Eren isn't—,"
"Forget about Eren, right now," Levi cut him off, frowning. "He's not the one you're marrying, alright? If he doesn't make it to the ceremony, then I'll personally head out to drag him here for the reception, but you have to stay calm."
The music that poured through the room and out the doors rose to a crescendo before ending, a series of clapping fell like rain and it made the anticipation inside his chest curl into a spring. Levi gave his shoulders another firm squeeze, "You're going to do great, Armin." He added with a soft look of approval, the ghost of a smile lifting his lips. "I'm proud of you. I'm certain that your grandfather and parents would feel the same."
The words sobered him, made him feel more firmly rooted to the ground, even though he felt surprise fill him. It wasn't often Levi spoke so candidly about his feelings, and when he did, they usually were harsh words and sharp grunts. This made his chest swell, happy that the man he called his Captain looked at him with respect and just a bit of care. "Thank you, Captain."
Levi gave him another nod before releasing him, he walked toward the side entrance and with a final glance of support disappeared around the corner. Another tune began to play, announcing the beginning entourage of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Not long after Levi disappeared, Jean came racing down the hall, panting and working on his tie and pushing back a flushed expression. Armin could only lift his hands in a 'Jean, what even, man,' gesture.
The tall brunet man threw him a sheepish grin before waving and giving him a thumb's up. He, too, disappeared down around the corner. Armin cleared his throat, nodding to himself and shaking his arms in a 'warm-up.' He bounced on his toes a couple of times and waited for the music to fade.
Just like we rehearsed it, Armin thought. The rehearsal dinner went fine, and so this will be fine. Relax. You're getting married.
He inhaled deeply and exhaled again, hoping fiercely that Eren would show up… but the seconds passed and Armin was alone. Soon, the melody Krista had picked for their march began to play and with a square of his shoulders, Armin adjusted his suit and ran a hand through the long tresses of his hair and flicked them over his shoulders.
Several steps close, Armin reached the door before he stepped through the threshold and into the dining hall, where his future wife would be approaching from the opposite side of the room.
Here goes.
Wind slapped and struck chocolate brown tresses against cheeks and eyelids, stinging where it struck and making teeth grit harder. Beneath him, the large animal was panting in sharp bursts, the air exploding through nostrils and following the rhythmic strikes of hooves on dirt. Steady… steady… He thought, trying not to bite on his lips as the horse surged forward.
Thunder followed at his heels, making the desperation to arrive at the castle in time for his best friend's wedding feel like a weight in the back of his chest. Legs aching, spine absorbing the sprinting of the animal below, Eren tried to focus on the sound, on the sting of his hands and the sounds of the caravan hurrying behind him.
They had been riding hard for nearly three full hours now and they were still several miles away from reaching the castle. The sun was now high on its zenith and slinking steadily past the highest point, a white disk of brilliance in the sky.
He could feel the skin of his cheeks flush and burn with the ever present glare of sunlight above him, but Eren dared not find a reason to stop now. Armin needed him, and he would be damned if he would allow himself to fail his friend now, of all times.
A series of rapid hoofs striking earth approached him and soon he was greeted by Hanji's presence at his side, "Eren!" he shot her a look from the corner of his eye. "Are you sure you don't want to rest?"
"I can rest later!" He shot back, and whipped the reins again. His bite wounds shrieked but it was a noise he easily shoved to the side, focusing solely on riding.
"Alright, but slow down a bit," Hanji called, "This next bit of terrain is pretty uneven, the last thing we need is for your horse to break an ankle!"
Eren nearly ignored her, wanting nothing more than just ignore her and move on. "Eren!" She shouted, and he let out another snarl.
"Fine!" He relented and began to tug at the reigns. The horse gave a grunt in response, huffing while it slowed its pace. His stomach began to lurch, and the protests of his bodies increased in discomfort—filling him to the brim with a strange sensation that made his vision tunnel.
Shaking his head, Eren forced himself to push away the strange sensation. Inhaling through his nose, he tried to take in the whipping scents of the plains and trees around them, the cold against his cheeks and the heat of the sunlight over his scalp—but the sensation persisted. Is this because I'm exhausted…? He thought vaguely, feeling a shudder run through his spine to pool at his stomach. A bitter taste rose from his stomach to his tongue, Eren swallowed it back.
No, not yet. Not until I get there. He thought viciously and squeezed his hands over the leather thongs in his grip. The pain was horrid but it cleared his mind from the weird feeling, but the attempt to quell it failed as it returned full force.
"Eren, are you alright?" Hanji's voice cut through the wind, worried and anxious. He didn't realize he had doubled over, nearly pressing his forehead against his horse's neck.
"Fine, fine!" He tried to shout, but it came out as a wheeze, tunnel vision getting worse.
After a few moments, the rush of hooves and thunder against the ground began to slow behind him and he felt a hand reach over to grab at his arm, tugging the reigns of his animal. Eren tried to shove the hands off, wanting to keep moving but felt his efforts fall to the spots covering his vision.
The horse let out a fierce grunt, whining at the sudden tug and began to slow down, fighting at the reigns to ease the pain under its tongue. Sandalwood and lemongrass overwhelmed his nose for half a second when he felt the press of arms around his. The scent surprised him and he looked up to meet Hanji's determined face.
Several moments later the galloping faded to a bouncing trot. Eren let out a soft groan, his skin tingling with the lack of wind pressing against his cheeks and feeling sweat accumulate on his neck. His hands were shaking violently and his legs were numb.
"Hanji… we can't stop…" He panted. Why is it so hard to breathe?
"Eren, I can't risk you passing out mid-gallop. We're taking a short rest." She spoke and the trotting slowed down to a stop. The strange sensation increased, making his head spin. "Can you get down?"
"Y-yeah…" He heaved, gripping on to his saddle, he bit back a shout of pain as he tried to swing his leg over to meet his other leg. He had overshot the toss and ended up stumbling off his saddle and collapsing on his side.
"Eren!" Hanji exclaimed.
A sharp heat began in his stomach, churning and rolling like a boil that began to spread everywhere, dulling his senses and making him feel like he was falling. Falling… falling…
"Ha…Hanj…" He gasped, eyes wide but not seeing, not feeling anything aside from the burning in his blood, spreading everywhere until it found his hands.
The tingling increased, and the burning rose and rose through every muscle strand, filling him with a strange resilience and clarity he hadn't felt in a long time…
A very long time…
The first thing he saw… was a goddess bathed in white and sunlight. Armin's eyes widened, mouth falling as he saw her step toward him. Through the sheer fabric of her veil he could see the blush on her cheeks, the grin on her lips as she approached him—looking amused by his stunned expression. The music rose softly, and the sound of a fiddle joined a harmonious melody to the piano's light touches and Armin could feel his eyes fill with tears. She gave him a short nod of her chin, as if beckoning him.
Zaps of surprise filled his legs, making him start forward with a few awkward steps that mingled like a sprint and a jog and a reverent march all at once. Krista let out a soft noise the reached his ears and his cheeks burned when he realized she was holding back from laughing. A large smile found home in his heart and lips, pushing them up to show her his excitement.
Slowly they inched closer and closer and the soft scent of lilacs teased his nose. He realized then, that under her veil, was a garland of flowers resting over the crown of her golden hair. His fingers itched, wanting nothing more than to lift the fabric to see her fully, but he knew that was not until they reached the altar.
With a love filled heart, Armin extended an elbow for her to grasp, and felt happiness burn through him when her hand found a place within the crook of his arm.
"I'm sorry about Eren," She whispered to him. Armin's smile wavered for a moment before he shook his head lightly.
"It's alright," He replied. "Better later than never."
Krista beamed up at him and slowly they turned and began to walk down the aisle. Their footsteps were muffled by a long carpet of white that spread between the rows of seats. The music and their breathing were the only sounds that surrounded them, heartbeats matching rhythm with every step. Around them, petals of lilacs and daisies littered the ground, and they met the gaze of soldiers and staff alike, smiling widely when they all watched with grins and even watery smiles.
"Hard to believe they're all war-hardened veterans." Armin mumbled. Krista's hold on his hand gave a soft squeeze.
"Almost all of them." She replied.
Armin fought back the urge to laugh, and they fell quiet when another fiddle joined the music, higher notes caressing the lower ones and the soft press of piano keys.
Their eyes lifted from the people around them, witnessing their happiness, to land on their friends, waiting by the gazebo. Armin took a moment to admire the fixed structure, and noted that they had wrapped ribbon in strategic places where paint and wood had been unable to improve. It was a brilliant touch and when he glanced back over to Jean, who stood between Levi and Connie (the latter kept fidgeting with his tie uncomfortably) the man looked absolutely proud.
Armin almost gawked when he saw tears glistening in Jean's eyes. When he glanced back to the women, he was pleased to see Mikasa was already in tears, gentle rivers falling down her cheeks as she grinned at her friend. Armin felt the connection surge another round of emotion through his chest, making his nose sting and eyes blur. He looked back and saw Sasha sniffling, rubbing a napkin to her nose as she cried openly, smiling funnily at them through happy tears.
At the end, stood Li, and the woman was completely flushed and looking out of her element. Armin could feel amusement rip air through his nose when he saw her fiddling with the dress—it nearly fell past her knees, while the dresses of Mikasa and Sasha just barely brushed the joints. When her green eyes met Armin, she gave him a half smile—looking far more embarrassed than he had ever seen her. He gave her a small wave with his fingers, trying to show that her presence didn't bother him—and it didn't… but the memory of her sitting on his lap made his eyes fall away.
Jeez…
At his side, Krista giggled almost inaudibly and they were finally at the altar, where a priest and Commander Erwin stood at its opening. The blond leader gave them both a brilliant smile, nodding to them with a twinkle in his eye that reminded Armin a little bit of his father. The memory nearly made him overflow, but he kept himself in check. Behind him, stood several Military Policemen, looking absolutely bored out of their minds. One of them didn't even bother to stifle a yawn.
"Who invited them?" Krista grumbled at his side, Armin shared her sentiment.
Armin glanced over to Levi, sending him an exasperated look. The Captain rolled his eyes, but did it so softly it looked like a blink to anyone not paying attention. Just keep moving.
When they finally reached their spots before the gazebo's low steps. The priest gave them a warm smile before looking over the quiet congregation, waiting as the music finally ended and when the last of the notes faded against the walls, Armin turned to face his future wife.
"Dearly beloved," The priest boomed and Krista's lips tightened when Armin's hands flinched in her hold. "We are gathered here today, in the festive occasion of a marriage between man and woman. A marriage between two soldiers, ready to serve the mandate and the crown… for the sake of humanity."
Krista rose an eyebrow, Armin fought back a grin and let his thumbs smooth over her palms.
"It is in this occasion that we stand together in its rarity and its briefness, for our lives are indeed short, but can be spared in happiness and moments of friendship." The priest paused with a dramatic flair that made Krista's lips curl behind the fabric and Arming had to fight the urge to follow in her amusement.
"At this time, we will hear the vows, and then the bands shall be given to our couple." The old man explained before giving Krista a small nod.
Krista cleared her throat, "I, Historia Reiss, formerly known as Krista Lenz, do accept the name of Armin Arlert as my own. I accept him as my husband, protector, lover, and equal, and swear loyalty, fidelity and strength in the moments he needs for my council, support when decisions for our family must be made. I make this vow, to honor and respect him, to love him with every fiber of my being, and to do so… even after my body decays by death's hands."
Her hands squeezed his, holding him upright as her words curled and rose through his mind, sweeter than any music he had ever heard or ever will hear. There were no words that could suffice the justice of the warmth he felt in his chest, no pretty phrase that could define the joy he felt hearing her swear such profoundness to him. Armin dared not hold back now, feeling the tears fall from his eyes and he dared not blink them away. He wanted to remember this moment, to carve it into his mind forever—the sight of Krista dressed in lace and white, wreathed in flowers and the gentle perfumes they emitted, her blue eyes filling with tears as they bore their souls out to be stitched together.
"And now, for the groom," The Priest urged, chuckling along with the rest of the congregation when Armin gave a little hiccup.
Clearing his throat, the taller blond straightened and smiled, looking through the fabric into Krista's eyes.
"I…Armin Arlert, do accept the name of Historia Rei-," his words were cut off, as the wind outside gave a sudden shriek and wail that shook the doors and rattled the windows. Several tremors crashed through the ground, as if the trees outside the room had been ripped down to the ground. Gasps echoed everywhere at the abrupt disturbance. Attention ripped from his bride, Armin felt Krista take a step closer to him, startled. His eyes turned around, finding Erwin's gaze through the confusion and frightened looks. The leader's face had fallen into a grim expression.
"Let us proceed with the ceremony," The priest called to attention, despite the sharp rattling and murmurs from the crowd.
"Armin…?" He heard and when glanced down to Historia, he saw a look of sheer unadulterated terror in her face. She has looking up toward the high windows, eyes wide beneath her veil and pale as a ghost.
Unable to avoid it, Armin lifted his eyes to the windows before feeling all feeling of hope and joy fall apart.
No…
He recognized this feeling intimately. Knew the surge like it was part of an instinct, and suddenly he could feel another urge rise altogether. Dark, demanding, seeking blood…
Kill…
Eren squeezed his eyes, feeling the heat spread to every inch of his body, damp rising through to his forehead in bursts of steam. His muscles twitched violently, tossing and forcing him to fall on his back. Oh god, it burned. It burned… Blinking, Eren saw Hanji's face over him, watching him with wide eyes and mouth that moved with muted words. Hanji…
A flash in his mind threw him into a memory. Ymir, watching him with a flat expression, Bertholdt's arms around his shoulders and trying to get him to move. To the left, Reiner stared at him with a look of black contempt. "You touch Eren again and I swear to god, I will kill you Reiner!" Bertholdt's voice ripped through his ears.
What…? Another pulse rocked through his core. Annie stood above him, gazing at the sky above, rain falling around them in torrents. "He tried to kill you." He remembered wheezing. Annie looked back down at him.
"Now, we're even," She replied smoothly, Eren felt pain when she lifted a boot to kick him in the side.
The heat was becoming mind-numbing. Ymir grabbed him around the collar, gazing into his eyes with an expression he had never seen in hers before. "We're doing this for you!" She roared, blood dribbling down her forehead to drip into her eye, she didn't even blink. "Remember what side you're on, Jaeger. Remember what you promised me."
"Protect…Historia…" He nodded, gasping when her hold tightened.
"Her name is Krista," Ymir growled.
Another flash of pain and Eren felt his throat ache… was he screaming? "Please, Eren," Bertholdt begged, covered in blood and looking exhausted. "Please, don't forget me. Don't let my name die."
"Bertholdt, don't!" Eren cried, reaching a hand out to reach Bert's crying face. "Don't do it!"
"Tell them…I'm sorry."
A scream ripped through his chest and into the whirlwind around him, his arms tightening behind him as his knees scraped the ground. He could feel Hanji's hands on his shoulders. Could feel other hands grabbing at his clothes, trying to force him down.
Not now…
Green eyes squinted open, overwhelmed and meeting a pair of bright brown ones behind a pair of glasses. The brown ones widened and Hanji was pushing away, shoving at hands and scrambling away as the surge swelled in his chest.
Hanji…!
Annie spat blood through her teeth, gripping his neck as she met his eyes with a vicious stare.
Don't….!
"Eren," Annie grunted and a river of red fell down the corner of her lip. "LIVE!" Her hand shoved him and he was falling over an edge. Falling… falling…
Silence…
Then he heard a fizzing zap, felt electricity burst through the bite on his hand. Falling… into a sudden and terrible darkness.
Someone screamed, people jumped out seats to look at the window. It was undeniable and in his mind, Armin vaguely realized that the crashes were trees being yanked out of the ground…
They were footsteps.
One large blue eye peered through the window, casting them in shadow as blonde hair and a wide gaze landed directly on to Armin's eyes.
"It can't be…" He heard Krista gasp, her hands falling limp at her sides as they stared at the blue eyes watching them from above.
"Annie…" The name fell from his lips.
"Armin!" Mikasa's voice broke through the space and suddenly those immense blue eyes were pulling away, revealing a nose, broken skin and a pair of lips, pulled back into a devastating smile.
A hand grabbed at his arm, yanking him away from Krista's side, but he couldn't think, he couldn't breathe… all he could see was blonde hair and a large body pull away, muscles covered in hardened material like armor. The screams erupted rising when they saw a hand rise in the air before it curled into a fist.
"Annie…" Armin spoke again, feeling numb, feeling nothing. Feeling everything when he heard Levi's voice in his ear, but could understand nothing. In the background, Erwin was shouting over the screams and horror. Nothing seemed to make sense. Everything jumbled up, noises struck together, discordant and vile.
Somewhere, someone tripped over a chair, crying out as people began to slowly scramble away, but no one could tear their gazes away from the large fist risen over the window. Time slowed down as the fist began to move and Armin realized far too late what was about to happen.
"No…!" the word fell from his lips, sluggish and misinformed. Behind her Mikasa was being tugged away by Erwin's immense body, her eyes wide and frantic and landing on a spot behind his shoulder. When he looked back toward Krista, her veil had fallen off her face, and their eyes met in stark shock and horrible fear.
An explosion ripped through the space around them, crashing smoke and dust through the air and forcing them blind. Something knocked him to the ground, the air ripped from his lungs and his eyes were filled with dust. He landed on his back, feeling something fly over his head and crash behind him. The windows… the gazebo… it's…
Bright light burst through the smoke and dust, the sound of stone and wood striking at deafening decibels drilled into his ears. Someone was pressing his head down, covering him tightly as all hell broke loose…
"…min…Ar…n…Armin!" He heard next to his ear. Armin tried to blink through the dust, tried to breathe through the force around him… Captain Levi lay above him, searching his eyes with wide storm gray eyes, blood fell from a massive scratch on his cheek, but the man looked fine. Armin coughed, and pushed his body up, feeling Levi's hands grip to his shoulders. "Armin, look at me, don't look at anything else but me." He insisted, Armin frowned, groaning when he felt his left leg protest sharply.
"Did you hear me, Arlert?" Levi bellowed, nearly shaking him. "Don't look at anything else but me, do you understand…?!"
"I…" Armin wheezed, frowning. No…why? I need to… His mind instantly sought for the young blonde woman of his heart, feeling a hysterical bubble rise when he looked to the side and saw nothing but rubble, glass and fallen bodies everywhere.
"Don't look, Armin!" Levi insisted, gripping at his face and forcing him to meet his gaze, but it had been too late. Something had caught Armin's attention and it was enough to make him wish he swore he didn't.
"Armin, don't!" Levi snarled, but nothing could push his attention away. Nothing could prepare him for the sight that ripped his heart out, taking his soul, his existence… his everything away into a terrible and abysmal chaos.
On the last spot he had seen Historia…there was a huge chunk of debris, a pillar impaling the ground and pinning a figure dressed in white… a sharp breeze forced the dust away and forced the sight into a clarity he wished he'd never know.
Pinned beneath a metal and rock, Armin saw Historia, through her stomach the metal pierced, and the white that had once was, was now drenched in crimson… her eyes were half-closed, blood falling from her lips to drip into stone and crushed edelweiss. Even from where he stood, he could see her lips moving, muttering slowly…fingers reaching weakly…the light in her eyes fading and fading fast…
No…no, no…
"Armin!"
"Let me go!" He cried, scrambling up only to fall, screaming when his leg collapsed beneath his weight. Levi caught him but he was already fighting his arms off, "Let me go! I have to get her! I have to go to her!"
"Armin, stop!" Levi roared, holding fast to his waist and beginning to drag him away. Large hands pushed through the gaping hole that was one the entrance to the Dining Hall, pushing away at debris and dust. Several more shrieks and cries ripped into the air…but Armin could only see Historia's body dragged on the ground.
"No, no!" Armin cried, his throat feeling like it had been ripped to shreds by dust and the force of his screams. "NO, I CAN'T—"
"It's too late, Armin!"
"NO!"
It's too late… it's too late… Those words shattered him, dug nasty fingers into his mind and chest and yanked without mercy, laughed cruelly as he was taken farther and farther away. Armin felt tears run down his cheeks, mingling with blood that dripped from his brow. It's too late… they didn't move fast enough… it's too late.
"HISTORIA!"
TBC
You know, I kind of feel a little bad for this… especially after the whole Levi Ackerman thing… (Which, by the way, is going to be fantastic for this story later on, just wait)… so Yeah… until next Thursday…?
–cackles—
