By the time school ended, Armin was the first to leave across the school to the after school care. Still stuck in his depression, the child greeted the teachers politely before going into the play castle and staying in a tower that he closed off. Then he stayed inside watching from the tiny window as the other kids played and ignored his presence. Watching sadly as his peers played, Armin thought that it was meant to be like that. After all the majority of them were the ones bullying him earlier, and he really didn't want to hear anymore insults.

After watching for a few more minutes Armin looked away from the window and hugged his legs. He then thought on how his life would change from then on. The lack of friends he would have didn't concern him since he was more of an introvert. However the fact that his father might find that odd left him pondering how his father will take his change. Would he feel disappointed that he broke the rule to love himself no matter what others said? Or would he shake it off, and assure Armin that he loved him just the way he was. But most of all would the other kid's parents suffer if the truth was told?

As the minutes passed, Armin failed to realize that it was time for his father to arrive. And when he did, Armin didn't know what to do. He peeked out the window and made eye contact with the teacher who was sent to get him. Going back down, Armin closed his eyes as the door to his tower was open and a teacher's arms wrapped around him carrying him away from his sanctuary. Eyes still shut, he could hear the whispers and giggles of the other children as he was carried away.

Soon he was placed lightly onto the floor in front of his father, and Armin now knew he could no longer hide. Immediately, he looked to the ground hoping his father would ignore the mask. And for a while that seemed to be what happened, however when the teacher spoke up to tell him to greet his father Armin let out his hot breath with a sigh before speaking.

"Hello daddy..." Armin says before feeling the gentle hands of his father move his hair away from his face. Knowing that Erwin had seen his red eyes, Armin gulped nervously seeing the look of concern in his father's eyes. Nevertheless, he remained quiet and watched as his father dismissed the teacher and grabbed his hand. Squeezing it back, Armin followed Erwin's lead and gripped his backpack straps as the went into the car.

When they arrived home, Armin hopped out of the car and went into the living room to watch Steven Universe as his father left to the Ruby and Sapphire form Garnet, Armin sighed wondering if he would ever be that happy with a 'friend'. However after the events that had happened earlier that day, Armin feared that making a new friends would have to wait until he was over what happened. Praying and hoping that he would get over this by tomorrow, the little boy sang along with Garnet as she fought Jasper until his father's return.

Eventually Erwin did return with cookies and milk to which Armin had halfheartedly accepted. Munching on the cookie, Armin would glance every now and then to his father who was staring at me with is sad eyes. Now eating slower and slower Armin knew that it would only be a matter of time until his father said something.

"How was school today sweet heart?" It came so suddenly, and caused Armin to take in his food the wrong way. Coughing trying to heave up the cookie crumb in his throat, Armin desperately grasp for milk as his father pats his back. After taking a few careful gulps of the liquid, the kindergartner calms down from his 'near death experience' to concentrate on his show ignoring his father's question.

"You must have had fun today huh? What type of games did you play?"

"..." Still no reply was given as he ignored his father.

"Armin, are you okay?"

"Fine..." The kindergartner replied avoiding his father's desperate eyes.

"Please don't lie, I know somethings wrong."

"No..."

"Then why aren't you having another cookie? You usually have two."

"Not hungry," Armin crosses his arms.

"Honey please, I want you to be happy. Are the others being mean to you?"

"..."

"Yes?"

"..."

"Are they the ones who put that mask on you?"

"No..."

"Then why?"

"..."

"Don't wanna tell!"

"Armin..." Erwin whispers to himself as he reaches his hand up to the mask. Seeing this Armin panicked remembering his peers chanting about how ugly he looked as they ridiculed him. Shying away as quickly as he possibly could Armin forgot who the hand had belonged to for a moment.

"Did the other kids do something to your face is that why?" Erwin ask.

"No, you lie to me!That's why!" Armin shouts running to his room so that he didn't have to answer more questions. After all how was a five year old going to explain to their father about their encounter. Especially when knowing about half of those kids worked for his father's company and could get their parent's to be sworn to silence about the whole thing, Armin rushes to hope into bed and sleep his troubles away. Throwing his clothes around his room, he grabbed his pajamas and slipped them on ,then brushed his teeth and hopped into bed making sure to cover his face with the covers.

Closing his eyes hoping the sandman would send him to sleep, Armin heard the door to his room as if he had fallen asleep already, Armin felt the weight of his father at the edge of his bed. He then felt the mask be carefully slipped off of his face which made him feel naked, however he knew he couldn't move or else he would blow his cover.

"I'm so sorry Armin. Whatever happened today must have hurt you so much...If only your mother were here, she would know what to do..." His father says before kissing the top of his head. After a few more minutes, his father had gone out the door. Sitting up when the coast was clear, Armin stood up and headed toward the bathroom. Taking the time to step on the stool, Armin finally looked at his face.

Red eyes, tear stained cheeks, and a red nose made up his hands caressed the sides of his cheeks, the little boy frowned at his appearance. The face he grew up being told was handsome, now bared many flaws. There was a cut on his forehead from the time they pushed him down to the ground. Then there was the light freckles he had that made him feel dirty since he couldn't wash them off. And worst of all were his eyes that looked to tired and worn out from living.

Shivering as he looked at himself, Armin turned the faucet on and splashed his face with water and grabbed a towel to wipe his face. Looking up once more, Armin shook his head and stepped down from the sink going to bed. He definitely would try not to be noticed so that everyone wouldn't see his face or bully him. The next morning Armin repeated his usual routine, however he stayed a bit longer in the bathroom because of his to tie the two ends into a perfect bow, Armin tried and tried again. After what seemed like forever, Erwin came behind and tied it for him.

"Thank you daddy." Armin replies with a smile as if nothing happened yesterday.

"You're welcome, but why are you wearing your mask again? Is this what all you young kids are doing now?` I didn't think this would happen until high school."

"No, it just me. I think I look better this way." Armin sated with a bright smile.

"Well okay then, but do you feel better today?"

"Kind of..."

"Well let's make that a yes. Why don't we eat ice cream after school before dinner?"

"W-what really!? Y-YOU SERIOUS!?"

"The most seriously serious I've ever been about anything."

"Yay!"

"Now go get your stuff to go to school ol' sport."

"Mmhmmm!" Armin ran off in a hurry to gather his things for another day at school. And as the years passed by Armin continued to remain with his mask. Each passing year his dependence on it grew stronger. By the time he entered middle school more people started to bully him out of grade envy, and the fact that he wore a mask. On some days it was too much for Armin, and he would cry in his room wondering why he deserved all of this?

Deep in his heart it pained him to live. However he was far too scared to take his own life. Therefore he stayed more independent and took everything that his bullies gave him so that he would live a simpler life. And when the bullies would ask how ugly he was behind the mask, Armin would reply,"If you can't see yourself, you won't compare yourself to others. You will live a happy life!" Soon after that, the blond began to repeat this phrase every time he looked at himself in the mirror every morning.

The more he said it, the more he felt confident in his decision to keep the mask on. Now only a few days until starting his junior year at a new school, Armin sat at his desk doing homework. Wearing his blue with gold trim masquerade mask, Armin allowed his pencil to mark the paper up until he heard a knock com from the door. Stopping his work, the blond walked up to the door opening it up to see his father. Allowing the other to come into his room, the high schooler continued his work waiting for his father to talk.

"Armin, I have news I need to tell you." Erwin begins hoping that the other will take it well, though he knew he probably wouldn't.

"Yes, and what's that?" Armin replies turning his body towards his father.

"You know how I am a CEO for the Wings of Freedom Co. yes?"

"Of course, I'm not dumb."

"Of course my straight A student."

"So what does this have to do with anything, you're beating around the bush."

"Patience."

"Sorry."

"I made a deal with Mr. Ackerman who is the Military Police Co. and he and I both agreed that a marriage will unite our companies."

"W-Wait you're getting married dad!?"

"No not me..."

"T-Then who is?"

"Well you see you are after high school."

"W-What!? N-NO, NO NEVER!" Armin screams as he gets up feeling his breathing pick up.

"Armin listen, you have to do this for the company. And the boy you will be marrying is the same age."

"S-SO!? I-I CAN'T MARRY SOMEONE I DON'T KNOW!"

"You will meet him in your new high school."

"W-why!? D-dad I can't, I-I can't!" Armin repeats as his breathing becomes shorter thinking about even making eye contact with the other.

"Armin please breathe."

"How can I!?"

"Please look at the reasoning for all of this. It is the best for the company and you."

"This isn't the medieval times it doesn't have to be this way!"

"Well it is for now I'm sorry to say."

"I-I...I can't b-breathe!"

"A-Armin!" Armin never replied for he was too busy on the sensation going on in his body. As more and more negative thoughts came into his head, the more his breathing became faster. His short breaths would allow more air than usual to come in. Trying to regain a steady breathing pattern, he tried to hold his breath for a second but to no avail.

Now sitting in a seat watching as his father frantically searched for a paper bag, Armin could feel some parts of his body tingle as if bugs were crawling all over them. Trying to move those parts in general shocked him once more when he found it wasn't easy. Panicking even more, Armin's gaze met his father's who had a paper bag. Grabbing the bag, Armin put it up to his mouth and started to breathe into it.

"One, two, one, two," his father chanted as he help aided him in a while, Armin was able to breath regularly and feel all his limbs.

"Are you okay now?" The adult inquired.

"Y-Yeah...F-for now I am..."

"I'm sorry."

"No, i-it's okay...However the marriage is another thing."

"Armin please consider it. Be friends with him at least, you'll meet him at school in two days."

"...Fine I'll meet him that's it..."

"Thank you."

"After all you've done for me it's the least I can do." Armin states before turning around to continue onto his on that night, he was restless. He had had a nightmare about how his whole first meeting would play through with the other. And it seemed as though each scenario left him beaten up alone in an alley way. Eventually the day came for Armin to meet his betrothed, and attend his new school. To say that he was nervous was an understatement,no; he was he was getting a new slate with these students, however in each school there seemed to be that one person who would love to pick on a weak person.

As the students began piling into their rooms, Armin sat quietly in the back seeing so many unfamiliar faces. Tapping his foot, the blond waited for the teacher to arrive, and when they did she had the whole class to introductions. It didn't take long before Armin was the last one to be called up. Slowly he walked up to front of the class hearing whispers about him coming from each side of the classroom. Eyes kept to the ground, Armin stopped in front of the class room and quickly glanced at the teacher for encouragement. With a heavy sigh Armin said, "H-Hello, m-my name is A-Armin Arlert...I-I would like to have a nice year please..."Saying it as quickly as ripping a band-aid, Armin looked out to his peers who looked concerned for him.

"Well why don't you tell us more about yourself Armin?" The teacher encouraged with a huge smile trying to keep up a happy mood. Dreading that he had to speak more, Armin took another deep breath to speak. However her was interrupted by a tardy student barging into the room shocking everyone.

"Sorry I'm , I had to pick up something." The male says holding something to his side that looked like a bag covering something.

"Well I hope it was worth it, you interrupted Armin here." informed pointing to Armin who stared at the new person.

"Wait did you say Armin? As in Armin Arlert?" The male ask pushing his teacher out of the way gently.

"Y-Yes...H-How do you know my name?" Armin ask.

"Well this is perfect, I'm Eren Jaeger."

"Who?"

"Oh yeah you don't know me yet, sorry I forgot you weren't told a lot. Well anyways, my name is Eren Jaeger."

"O-Okay nice to meet you..."

"Oh wait, now is where I do the thing."

"The thing..."

"Yeah." Eren says as he kneels down on one knee presenting the thing that he was holding in his hands that turned out to be a bouquet. "It's nice to finally meet you, I'm your future husband."

"H-HUSBAND!?


Next why Eren agreed to this idea then continuing on with the story.