Oooh boyyy this chapter turned out WAY longer than I had anticipated. Therefore I split it into two parts, and I'm currently finishing up the second half as I type this. I hope you all don't mind the length, I got a bit carried away. Please read and enjoy!

The next morning Eren had actually managed to wake up on time. The anticipation of meeting up with Armin was giving him the extra motivation he needed to wake up early and prepare for the day's training. He enthusiastically changed into his uniform and strapped on his 3D maneuver gear, making sure that it was secured properly to avoid any accidents. He ran a comb through his messy brown hair before jogging up the stairs and making his way down the hall.

The dining hall was full of squad members eating breakfast and drinking their morning coffee. Unlike the feast the night before, breakfast merely consisted of cold, slightly stale leftover biscuits. Eren was far too giddy to be bothered such a trivial thing and happily munched on one. As he ate he eyed the coffee that everyone else had in their cups. He had only ever drank the stuff once, and although it smelled heavenly, it had been incredibly bitter and unpleasant. He decided to give it a try and poured himself a cup, blowing on the hot brown liquid before slowly bringing it up to his mouth and taking sip.

It tasted as awful as he remembered and he grimaced as it made its way down his throat. Someone must have noticed the face he was making because a few seconds later he heard giggling. He looked up in time to see Petra sit down across from him, pushing a dish of cream and sugar towards him.

"Here, it tastes a lot better when you put these in it, I promise," she said, stifling a laugh.

Eren blushed a bit. "Good morning, Petra. So you saw that, huh?"

Petra nodded and laughed, "Yeah. Your face was all scrunched," she imitated his expression, scrunching up her nose," it was funny. Just add cream and sugar and it it'll taste great!"

Eren nodded and reached over, grabbing the cream and pouring a little bit into his coffee until it turned light brown instead of black. He then spooned a heaping portion of sugar into it and stirred. Satisfied with the final product, he brought the cup up to his lips and tasted it.

Mmm so much better.

"This is great! Thanks for the tip, Petra," he said before taking another long sip, reveling in the sweet, mild flavor.

The redhead nodded, "No problem, Eren. Did you sleep well last night? You'll need all your energy for today's training."

Eren felt his cheeks redden a bit, remembering what he'd dreamed about last night (more importantly who he'd dreamed about). He had gotten a good night's sleep, aside from waking up with stiff muscles and a throbbing…problem between his legs. He'd had to conjure up some unpleasant imagery to get it to go away without relieving himself. He found out that imagining Commander Pixis in his underwear was a good way to kill any arousal he had.

Snapping back to the present, Eren hastily replied, "O-oh yeah. I slept like a rock, haha."

Petra smiled once again. "Glad to hear it! You needed a good rest after working so hard yesterday."

She poured herself a cup of coffee and a biscuit, sneaking one into her jacket for a snack later. Even when they were cold they were incredibly tasty.

The two finished up their breakfast, chatting amongst themselves.

Levi had gotten an early start today, just like he did most days. He woke up at the crack of dawn out of habit, giving himself enough time to take his (hour long) morning shower and make his bed before heading down for breakfast.

He hated breakfast, just for the simple fact that everyone ate it at the same time. The dining hall was packed to the brim with soldiers hurriedly choking down their food before they started the day's training. He tried to ignore them as he picked the least populated table and poured himself a cup of coffee. He drank it black, having gotten used to not having the luxuries of cream and sugar out in the field. The strong, bitter taste invigorated him, giving him the energy he needed to get through the day without murdering anyone.

He absentmindedly looked for Eren, wondering if the boy was still sleeping. He wouldn't put it past the brat, being such a heavy sleeper.

He better not spill coffee on me, the little shit.

Normally Levi would have kicked someone's ass for daring to dirty his clean clothes. It had taken him an hour and a half to completely wash the smell of stale tea out of his hair. He should have sent Eren to bed with a black eye, but he'd settled for making him clean the entire dining hall. Maybe he was getting soft as he got older. Or maybe he'd found the boy's terrified expression during their confrontation adorable. Either way, he had to stop being so laid back before people began to notice.

He finally spotted the brunette sitting at a table in the corner of the room. He was glad to see that the boy was already awake and he wouldn't have to kick his ass out of bed again.

He immediately frowned when he saw that the Eren was not alone. Petra was sitting across from him, smiling and laughing at something he had said. Levi wasn't sure why, but seeing the two being so friendly rubbed him the wrong way.

It really annoyed him that Eren was smiling and laughing too. Usually the boy was more reserved around people that weren't Armin or Mikasa. In fact, most people thought that the boy was unapproachable, so why was this girl any different?

So what, the stupid brat got himself a little girlfriend. Maybe he won't be jacking off all night anymore. Why should I give two shits?

He must have had a particularly scary expression on his face, because everyone who passed by his table started walking a little faster once they saw him.

When Petra wiped a crumb from the corner of Eren's mouth, Levi felt like throwing up. Didn't they know this was a public dining hall, not some lovey-dovey couple's café? He was glad that no one was sitting next to him, or they might have seen how white his knuckles were getting from gripping his coffee cup so tightly, or the way his other hand was balled into a fist, ready to punch anyone who even looked at him the wrong way.

Levi finally decided that he'd had enough and got up from the table, leaving his breakfast behind. Some powerful unseen force was pulling him in Eren's direction, and he wasn't going to ignore it. The other diners stopped dead in their tracks to let him pass, afraid that they would face his wrath for blocking the way.

When he arrived at their table, Petra immediately stopped smiling, putting on a serious expression and saluting him, "Sir! Good morning, sir! What brings you to our humble table?"

Eren choked on his coffee and started coughing uncontrollably, trying to clear the substance from his windpipe. He wasn't prepared to face the Corporal this early in the morning, and he certainly hadn't been expecting him to just show up. Although Eren was in a silent state of panic, Petra remained as stiff as a statue.

Levi ignored her. He wasn't in the mood for stupid questions from stupid little girls. Instead he looked at Eren, who had finally coughed up the coffee from his lungs. His expression was one of pure annoyance, and Eren wished he knew what he'd done to have it cast in his direction.

Levi spoke in an authoritative tone, "Jaeger. I want you to spend extra time training today, so get off your ass and get started. The weapons and targets are all set up in the courtyard behind the castle."

Eren looked taken aback at first, then slightly irritated. "Um, might I ask why I have to start before everyone else, sir?"

Levi shot him a dirty look, making the boy regret asking such a thing. "Because I said so, and I'm your superior officer. If you keep asking stupid questions I'll kick your ass. Got it, brat?"

Eren grumbled under his breath, careful not to let the older man hear. Why was he always picking on him? First he made him clean half the castle and now he wanted him to bust his ass training. He sighed and decided that it wasn't worth the trouble to protest. He nodded and rose from the table.

"Yes, sir. I'll get started right away," he said, head hanging in defeat.

Levi could tell Eren was none too happy with those orders by the way he stormed off to make his way out of the huge front doors to begin training. He really hadn't meant to ruin the boy's day, but he just couldn't stomach watching the sickening display that had been unfolding before his eyes.

Speaking of the little wench…

He watched Petra start to get up from the table. There was no way Levi was going to let her off that easy.

"Where do you think you're going, Ral?

The redhead froze. "Oh! Um, I figured I'd get an early start on my training, too. I sure could use the practice. I'm still really bad at hitting the weak spot on the taller classes of titans."

Levi gave her a look that said like hell you are. He wasn't about to let the girl be alone with Eren.

I shouldn't care about them being together, so why does it irritate me so?

Levi came to the conclusion that he didn't like it when people tried to take things that were his. He had volunteered look after Eren, and therefore that made the boy his responsibility, no one else's. Eren was an untrained dog, and Levi was his master. It was his job to discipline him and make him a soldier worth being on his personal squad. He wasn't about to let anyone interfere with his plans, especially not this girl.

"No. You will begin your training at the same time as everyone else. Is that clear?"

Petra looked completely confused. Usually when someone put extra effort into their training they were praised. Although she wanted to protest, she had been trained not to question orders and reluctantly sat back down at the table. Levi was glad to see that unlike Eren, this girl was obedient.

Satisfied with the way he'd handled the situation, Levi returned to his table and sipped his coffee, silently celebrating his victory.

Ugh! What the hell? What the fuck is his problem?! What did I do now? Why am I out here busting my ass all by myself?

Eren cleanly cut through a cardboard titan, hitting the nape on his first try. This was such a waste of time to him. He already knew how to take down titans. He'd expected to learn something new by now. He wanted to learn how to control his inner Titan and harness its immense strength to aid in humanity's struggle. How was he ever going to live up to the monumental task of being humanity's trump card if he lost himself every time he transformed?

He threw down his blades in frustration. He'd been at it for an hour already and he was bored out of his mind. He really wasn't in the mood to continue.

I could just sneak off and ride to the halfway point to wait for Armin. But what if the Corporal finds out?

He remembered that Armin had specifically told him to ask for permission before heading out to meet him, but Eren found that he really didn't care if he had permission or not. He was sick of being tied down by rules and regulations. Plus, he refused to ask for that bastard's permission after he'd treated Eren like a child. It was time to do what he wanted, consequences be damned.

Eren picked up his discarded blades and slid them back into their holsters. He wasn't about to venture into the forest unarmed. Although the squad hadn't run into any wildlife on their way to the castle, Eren knew that bears and mountain lions were indigenous to this particular area. It was definitely better to be safe than sorry.

He quickly glanced around, making sure that he was completely alone before making his way to the stables.

Phoenix was happily munching on a mouthful of hay in the small corral. The horses had spent the night in stalls inside the stable and the person on animal care-taking duty had let them out that morning for some exercise. Her ears perked up when she heard the sound of footsteps. She trotted over to Eren when he came up to the fence, instantly recognizing him and hoping for a sugar cube or carrot. Eren chuckled when she nudged him with her nose, sniffing his pockets and looking for treats.

"Sorry girl, I forgot to bring you something today. I promise to bring you a whole bunch of sugar cubes tomorrow," he said, patting her nose gently.

Phoenix just snorted in response and began munching on a particularly green patch of grass at his feet. Eren patted her neck and walked into the stable, looking for a saddle and bridle. He'd never learned to ride bareback and he wasn't going to try and learn now. He frowned when he realized that all of the riding equipment had been locked up in the stable's storage closet to deter thieves. There was no way he was going to be able to open the giant padlock without a key, and without orders from an officer the animal caretaker wouldn't open it for him.

The brunette racked his brain for a solution. It was then that he heard loud snoring coming from one of the horse stalls. He peeked into the stall, spotting the caretaker sound asleep on a pile of hay. There hadn't been anything that needed his immediate attention so he'd decided that the stables were a great place to take a nap. Eren couldn't believe his luck. He could steal the key and the man would never know.

He tip toed over to the man until he was standing over him. He was an older fellow with thinning grey hair and a long scraggly beard that was filled with hay. His snoring was loud enough to wake the dead and Eren hoped that that meant he was in a deep sleep. He spotted the key ring hanging from his belt and devised a plan. He had no idea what key would open the stable storage, so he would just have to take the whole thing while being as quiet as possible. He reached down to try and unhook it from the man's belt, nearly having a heart attack when the fellow grumbled and rolled over on his side, scratching his nose and yawning. Eren breathed a sigh of relief when the man went straight back to sleep, not noticing the boy hovering over him.

When he was sure it was safe, he once again began unhooking the key ring from the old man's belt, careful not to fall on him and wake him up. If he was caught now, it was all over. He'd be tossed in the dungeon for months. He took a deep breath and concentrated on the task at hand. After a minute of struggling the key ring came off and Eren breathed a sigh of relief. He carefully tip toed out of the stall and back to the storage room door.

He fumbled with the keys and searched for one that looked like it might fit into the padlock. They all looked nearly identical, and Eren knew that this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. There were ten keys in all, and he began trying them out one by one, jiggling them and getting more and more frustrated when they failed to open it. Once he got to the last key he feared that it wouldn't work and he'd have gone through all the trouble for nothing. Maybe the caretaker didn't even have the right key. He certainly hoped that that wasn't the case.

Deciding to give it a shot anyway, Eren nervously slipped the key into the padlock and turned it, nearly jumping for joy when the lock released with a click. He removed the key and stuffed the key ring into his pocket. He slid open the wooden door and looked inside. Sure enough, there was all the riding equipment that the Recon Corps owned inside. He spotted a saddle that seemed like it would fit, cursing at its weight as he heaved it over his shoulder. He selected a medium sized bridle and a small green blanket to place under the saddle before sliding the door closed again. He then locked it, making sure it was secure. He didn't want the caretaker to be held responsible if someone decided to loot the equipment because Eren left the door wide open.

He put down the equipment and tip toed back over to the caretaker to replace the key ring on the man's belt. He was still snoring loudly and didn't respond at all. Eren heaved the heavy leather saddle back over his shoulder and exited the stables.

He walked over to the corral gate and unlatched it. He pushed it open and looked around for Phoenix. She was still happily munching on the patch of green grass from earlier, oblivious to him. He walked up to her slowly so that he wouldn't startle her. The chestnut mare noticed him approaching her with the saddle and walked over to him. She knew when it was time for a ride and eagerly anticipated the exercise. The other horses were either drinking from the trough or munching on hay, too busy to pay the boy any mind. Only Onyx seemed to take notice of him, focusing on the brunette with his grey eyes that eerily resembled Levi's. It was as if the other man was watching him.

Eren ignored it, placing the soft green blanket on Phoenix's back to protect her from the hard leather of the saddle. He gently placed the saddle on top of the blanket and began buckling the straps under her stomach. Once he finished saddling her he slipped the bridle over her nose and ears and placed the bit in her mouth. He double checked the saddle, making sure it wasn't too tight before leading her out of the corral, closing and latching the gate behind him. Onyx trotted over to the gate, whinnying and pawing at the ground.

Eren walked over to the horse and attempted to calm him down. He patted his nose and whispered, "Shh, it's ok boy. Please be quiet, ok? You're going to get me in trouble."

The black stallion seemed to understand, quieting down and watching as the brunette walked back over to his mount.

Eren carefully climbed up into the saddle and tried to get comfortable. He winced a bit as his legs grew accustomed to the width of a horse once again. He hadn't ridden in quite a while until yesterday, and after the long trip his legs had become incredibly sore. It didn't help that he'd been on his feet almost all day cleaning after they arrived at the castle, further straining his aching limbs. He did his best to ignore the pain and urged Phoenix to move with his heels.

Since it was still quite a while before the meeting time, he let Phoenix walk at a comfortable pace while he took in the scenery.

When he entered the forest he realized just how beautiful it was. It was full of verdant plant life; trees, grass, flowers. All of them were in bloom, perfuming the air with their sweet scent. The birds were greeting the day with their cheerful songs, and Eren smiled when he saw a brown cottontail rabbit run across the forest's dirt path and into the tall grass on the other side. He'd had no idea what they had missed yesterday by rushing through. He supposed it wasn't the Recon Corps job to stop and smell the roses, but that didn't matter now. In truth he felt somewhat guilty for sneaking off and stealing equipment, but he just couldn't miss out on an opportunity to meet up with Armin. He could only hope that the Recon Corps' need for his titan powers would keep Levi from kicking him out of the squad permanently.

After almost an hour of walking, the two finally arrived at the stream, which Eren assumed was the halfway point because it was located almost exactly halfway between the outer wall and the castle. He dismounted and led Phoenix to the stream, allowing her to drink and rest a bit while they waited. He patted his jacket pocket, feeling the letter that he'd stuffed in it yesterday. Having nothing better to do, he took it out and carefully read it again. He wondered just what Armin had wanted to deliver to him so badly that he'd travel out this far. Normally he would have told the blonde that it wasn't worth the long trip and that he could just send it through the mail, but he was dying to see his childhood friend.

He stuffed the paper back into his jacket and lay back against a large rock facing the stream. The early morning sun warmed his skin and a light summer breeze ruffled his hair. The steady flow of the stream was a soothing sound, and Eren relaxed his body, allowing himself to take in the beauty of the forest.

It didn't take long for him to grow bored with the beauty of nature. He hated how slowly time seemed to pass when he was anticipating something. He'd felt much the same way when he was waiting to find out if he'd been accepted into the military. Every minute seemed to pass agonizingly slow, and Eren found himself struggling to stay awake. He knew falling asleep in the middle of the woods was never a good idea, but his eyelids just kept getting heavier and heavier despite his efforts to keep them open. After a few minutes of fighting it, exhaustion finally overtook the brunette, and he slipped into blissful slumber.

Armin Arlert was not a brave person, but despite his reservations about traveling beyond the walls, he rode into the great forest at sunrise, taking care not to wake any of his comrades. He knew it was incredibly foolish to travel alone these days, but he couldn't risk being discovered by the higher-ups, and two missing soldiers were definitely more suspicious than one. He'd grabbed all the necessary supplies for his journey, along with Eren's gift, before departing.

He'd borrowed a horse from a private stable in town instead of taking of the military's to avoid alerting anyone to his absence. It was definitely the biggest horse he'd ever seen, let alone ridden. He'd almost wanted to request a different one, but he was eager to get out of town before anyone noticed he was absent from breakfast. The blonde had to grab a stepladder just to climb into the saddle, much to his embarrassment. Sometimes he really hated being short.

It hadn't been easy to get past the guards patrolling the walls. He'd had to time his departure perfectly to catch them switching shifts. Luckily he was able to blend in with a departing trade caravan, using his hooded cloak to cover his face. Once he was clear of the gates and out of the guard's line of sight, he lowered his hood and urged his horse in the direction of the forest. Unfortunately he failed to notice that he was being followed the entire time.

It was incredibly nerve-wracking to be outside of the walls that had protected and sheltered him for his entire life. He knew that titans could appear at any time, and that one lightly armed boy would make easy prey. If someone had told him a year ago that he would be making this journey he would have laughed and called them crazy. He never imagined that he could muster up the courage to venture beyond the walls. It was true that he had always dreamed of seeing the outside world, but he always thought that it would remain just that; a dream.

That was, until he met Eren Jaeger. The boy was everything that Armin wasn't; brave, ambitious, strong and determined. He inspired Armin to actually get up and do something to change their lives instead of sitting around waiting for it happen. He knew he'd never be as brave as Eren, but he would gladly support him in any way possible.

During the trial Armin had felt completely helpless. There was his best friend since childhood, his life in the hands of complete strangers, chained like a dog, and there was nothing Armin could do. He watched in horror as Eren was beaten within an inch of his life by the very man trying to defend him, and he'd done nothing. Instead, he'd had to hold Mikasa back from interfering and making things worse. At least she'd been willing to risk life and limb to save Eren, which was more than he could say.

That's why he had taken it upon himself to deliver Eren's gift personally, to prove that he was a devoted friend and that he'd do anything for the brunette.

The entire 104th training squad had pitched in to make Eren a gift basket to show him that he had not been forgotten, and that they had faith in him. Sasha and (a protesting and huffy) Jean had baked blueberry muffins, which was certainly something special, considering blueberries were in extremely short supply these days. It had taken almost all of their combined weekly earnings to buy just enough for the recipe. Armin had remembered that Eren was very fond of the sweet berries when they were kids, and he hoped that he still enjoyed them.

Mikasa had cut off a piece of her scarf to contribute, much to Armin's dismay. He knew the garment was precious to her, but she couldn't be persuaded to give him anything else. She was under the impression that she would be accompanying Armin to deliver the gift. Armin felt guilty for deceiving her, but he just couldn't risk her having an emotional breakdown when she saw Eren. He silently promised to make it up to her later.

Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie had all pitched in to buy a bottle of wine, although Armin was positive that Eren had never shown any interest in alcohol. He went along with it since they had already gone through the trouble of locating a wine peddler willing to sell to minors. Connie had tossed in some oil for weapon cleaning, and Christa sewed a handkerchief with the Recon Corp's symbol on the front and back. Together their gifts had been placed into a wicker basket and were ready to deliver.

Armin struggled to keep the basket balanced between his legs as he rode into the forest, every bump threatening to dislodge it and spill its contents on the ground. The ride had been uneventful so far, but every so often he swore that he could hear a branch snap or leaves rustle behind him. His paranoia was getting the better of him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed. Every time he glanced behind him he saw nothing, so he eventually just chalked it up to the wind.

He was thankful when he could finally see the stream in the distance, marking the halfway point on his journey. Along the stream's bank was a small clearing lying beneath a great weeping willow. As he entered the clearing he was extremely surprised to see Eren asleep, his back laying against a particularly uncomfortable looking rock. Nonetheless, the brunette looked extremely peaceful and Armin almost hated to wake him.

He dismounted, careful not to spill the basket, and snuck over to the spot Eren was sleeping in. He sat the basket down and knelt to the ground beside the other boy, careful not to make too much noise and jolt him awake. Armin couldn't help but smile when he saw the serene expression on the brunette's face. All too often those prominent eyebrows were furrowed in anger or distress, and it was nice to see them relaxed for once.

He brushed a few strands of hair out of the boy's face. He was really happy to see his best friend so peaceful, so free from all the worries of the world. He didn't realize that the hair had tickled Eren's nose, causing him to rub the spot and slowly open his eyes.

Eren had felt something brush against his hair, and slowly opened his eyes, expecting to see a fly or some other manner of insect. His expressive turquoise eyes widened in shock when he saw Armin sitting next to him, looking rather embarrassed.

"Oh! Um, sorry Eren, I tried to keep the flies from waking you up, but I guess I did in the process," he lied to avoid telling him the truth, that he'd been fussing over him like a mother hen.

Eren's expression turned from one of surprise to one of pure joy as he smiled and stretched, trying to stifle a yawn. "Don't worry about it, I shouldn't have fallen asleep here anyway. I'm just glad I didn't get eaten by a bear or something," he said, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Armin laughed, "Well, that makes two of us. I can't believe how peaceful this forest is. Everything I've read about forests says that they are absolutely teeming with wildlife. Anyway, I'm glad you decided to meet me halfway. I'm not sure I could find the castle on my own."

Eren nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm glad I came out here too. I really needed a break from the Crazy Corps," he said with a laugh. "Anyway, it's really good to see you, Armin. I've missed you guys so much, you don't even know."

Armin smiled sadly. "We've missed you too, Eren, especially me and Mikasa. It just isn't the same without you." Realizing that the atmosphere was quickly turning melancholy, Armin decided to change the subject. "Oh! Right. I have something to give you, in fact it's the main reason I came out here." He reached over and grabbed the basket, shyly handing it over to Eren, feeling heat rush to his cheeks, reddening them slightly. "Um, this is from all of us. The 104th training squad, I mean."

Eren looked taken aback at the basket full of goodies as he placed it in his lap. No one ever gave him gifts, not even on his birthday, so he wasn't quite sure what to say at the moment.

"Wow, you guys really outdid yourselves, but you didn't have to come all the way out here just for this," he said, eyes sparkling with curiosity as he looked upon the gift.

Armin ignored his last statement, smiling. "Well, go ahead, see what's in there," he said, encouraging Eren to open it. Eren nodded, opening one of the basket flaps and pulling out a small cloth wrapped with a red bow. He smelled the familiar aroma of blueberries through the thin material and his mouth began to water. He eagerly untied the bow and opened the cloth to reveal several rather delicious looking muffins. He had to stop himself from shoving them into his mouth right away.

Armin smiled at Eren's reaction. It seemed he still loved blueberries after all. "Those are from Sasha and Jean, well, mostly Sasha, but Jean helped buy the blueberries. You can eat them now if you want," he said, noticing the rumbling in Eren's stomach. The boy nodded, taking a huge bite out of the biggest muffin and nearly crying from how good they tasted. They were moist and sweet, with a hint of tartness from the blueberries. After devouring three muffins he moved on to the next gift in the basket. It was a rather large bottle of red wine, and Eren was careful not to break it as he took it out.

"That's from Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie. I wanted to tell them that you really don't drink, but they had gone through so much trouble." Eren eyed the red liquid sloshing around the bottle with curiosity. "Well, I'll give it a try later. Don't wanna dull my senses." Armin nodded in agreement as he watched Eren put the bottle down and pull out the next gift. He recognized the small bottle as weapon cleaning oil. "Great! I've been needing to buy a new bottle, but I haven't had the time," he said, stuffing it into his jacket pocket. He then pulled out a small handkerchief, admiring the detail in the embroidery.

"The oil is from Connie and the handkerchief is from Christa. I had no idea she was so good at sewing!" said Armin, his eyes lighting up as he remembered watching the girl expertly turning an ordinary piece of fabric into a masterpiece. Eren folded the cloth and gently placed it into his shirt pocket before pulling out the next gift.

It was a small red piece of cloth that Eren immediately recognized as part of Mikasa's scarf.

He looked over at Armin with a look of surprise and frustration. "Why did she cut it like that? She never goes anywhere without that scarf, and now it's ruined because of me," he said, a look of pure consternation crossing his features. Armin shook his head. "Don't be angry with her, Eren. I tried to tell her you wouldn't want her to cut it, but she wouldn't listen. She misses you so much. I know deep down she's happy that you got to join the Recon Corps like you always wanted, even if she constantly talks about coming to "rescue" you," he said with a fake, forced laugh to lighten the mood.

Eren clutched the piece of scarf to his chest. "Mikasa, you idiot," he whispered to himself, hoping Armin didn't hear. The blonde walked over to the basket and took out another item. "This is the last thing, a gift from me. I hope you like it," he said, handing over a small, square package wrapped in plain brown packing paper tied with a string. Eren took the package, giving his friend a questioning look. Armin just smiled, waiting for him to open it. He untied the string and carefully tore the corner of the wrapping paper so that he wouldn't damage its contents. When he saw a familiar leather-bound book cover underneath he gave his friend a look of utter disbelief.

It was the book that Armin always had with him, ever since they were kids. The very book that contained rare knowledge of the outside world. The same book that had fueled his desire to see for himself just what was beyond the walls keeping humanity contained. The book that had brought them together and forged an everlasting bond of friendship. It was Armin's most treasured possession, and Eren was at a loss for words when he realized that it was being given to him as a present.

"Armin, I can't take this. It means too much to you," he said, handing the book back to the blonde.

Armin immediately handed it back, small tears forming in his eyes as he tried not to break down. "That's exactly why I want you to have it, Eren, so that you can see just how much you mean to me, to everyone. I want you to always remember your dream of seeing the world beyond the walls. I want you to read it every day so that you can know what to expect when you go out on missions. You can make notes about what you see, and when you visit us again we can all read it together." Tears were streaming down Armin's face despite his effort to keep them contained. He knew that everyday his friend would risk death on the battlefield, and he may very well never see him again. He tried his best to keep a smile on his face, despite the tears. He didn't want to appear weak in front of Eren, but it was becoming too difficult to keep his emotions in check.

Eren had always hated seeing Armin cry, even if it had been a rather common occurrence when they were younger. It was heart wrenching to see the boy in so much pain, tears staining his cheeks and his chest heaving with sobs. The brunette got to his feet, setting the book on top of the basket and walking over to his friend. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around the fragile boy, pulling him into a comforting embrace. Armin was like a little brother to him, and consoling him came naturally. Armin clutched the back of Eren's jacket, sobbing into the taller boy's shoulder. Eren just patted the blonde's head until he finally began to calm down.

"I-I'm s-so sorry, Eren. I didn't mean to b-break down like that. I just miss you so much," he said, sniffling and using his sleeve to wipe away the built up tears and mucus leaking from his nose. He broke away from the embrace, noticing the giant wet spot on Eren's shoulder. "Oh no, I got your shirt all wet and snotty. I'm so sorry!"

Eren didn't seem to care in the slightest. "It's fine. Are you ok now, Armin? I didn't mean to upset you," he said in an apologetic tone, his ocean colored eyes full of concern. Armin nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine *sniff*, it's not your fault. I just didn't expect to get that worked up. I didn't bring Mikasa because I thought she'd get too emotional, and now look at me, haha." Eren's eyes were still full of concern. He didn't want to refuse the gift, but it just didn't feel right taking Armin's precious treasure.

"Hey Armin, what if I just borrow the book? That way we can both enjoy it," he said with a genuine smile. Armin contemplated his statement for a moment before nodding in agreement. They'd always shared the book as kids, so it seemed like a good idea to continue the tradition. Besides, it gave him hope that he would indeed be visiting Eren again.

Eren was relieved that his friend seemed to have regained his composure. The blonde pulled a small pocket watch out of his jacket and checked the time. "Hey, Eren, it's almost three, don't you think you should be heading back? I mean, I'd love to catch up more, but I know you have training."

Eren's face scrunched in annoyance. As much as he was loathe to admit it, he knew that Armin was right, but he really wasn't in any hurry to get back to the castle and receive the punishment that was sure to come for disobeying orders. Surely his absence had been noted by now, and Levi was probably interrogating the other squad members as to his whereabouts. He was certain that he would not be training for a while if he was rotting in the dungeons. He didn't Armin to figure out that he'd left without permission, so he did his best to act like everything was fine.

"Oh yeah! You're right. I'd better get back before someone comes looking for me, haha," he said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. He was suddenly struck with an idea. "Hey, why don't you come back with me and stay a few days? I'm sure there's plenty of guest rooms in the castle, and I can request an escort for you on your journey back," he said enthusiastically. Armin's eyes lit up at the suggestion.

"Wow! Really? That would be great! I would love to see where the Recon Corps has set up their base of operations," he said, eyes sparkling with excitement. There was no way Eren could say no to those puppy dog eyes. "Yup! We can head there now. Go ahead and mount up and I'll lead the way."

Armin vehemently nodded and ran back to where he'd tied his horse, leaving Eren alone in the clearing. As he walked back over to Phoenix he heard the distinct sound of a tree branch snapping. It was an unnerving sound when you were surrounded by thick stretches of trees that could conceal any hidden danger. His hands instinctively went to his holstered blades, removing them slowly. He slowed his breathing and listened, trying to pick up on any subtle sounds of movement. When he heard nothing he relaxed, lowering his blades but still on high alert, careful not to let his guard down completely.

It was then that he heard a high pitched shriek that chilled him to the bone.

Armin! Something's happened!

Eren finally put his 3D gear to use and flew in the direction of the scream, sailing through the trees with a burst of speed, his heart pounding in his chest. He'd only let the boy out of his sight for a few seconds, but he felt extremely guilty still knowing that whatever was happening to his friend could have been prevented if he hadn't left his side.

It didn't take him long to find Armin, and what he saw when he landed sent a rush of fear and rage surging through his veins.

There was the blonde, struggling helplessly as a hooded figure held a knife against his throat.

"Not another step or I'll cut his neck," said the hooded figure in a gruff, angry voice that was clearly masculine.

For the second time in his life since his mother's death, Eren Jaeger felt completely helpless.

Phew! Ok! Next chapter shouldn't take long to be finished and posted! Don't kill me!