Disclaimer: I own nothing...
Author's Note: You don't know how close I was to saying Annie's stolen gear belonged to Marco. Because that would have been beautifully canon. But now you'll get to spend the rest of the story agonizing about when I will or won't knock a certain freckled Jesus off the life raft.
Also, sorry for the still non-existent AruAni. It'll get there. Eventually.
"No."
"I'm sure Eren isn't going to leave it at tha—"
"No."
"I don't care what you say, Mikasa. Armin and I are going over there right now."
"What—are we…?"
"Come on, Armin."
"Wait!" the blond squawked as he was forcefully pulled from his chair by the brunet. Eren paid little attention to the younger boy's wriggling and towed him through the hiccupping crowd of the Trost. Mikasa had made the fatal mistake of pointing out the two sailors of the Freedom to the boys and now Eren was adamant about earning a passage on the ship through them. He was prepared to achieve it in any way possible—even if it required sacrificing his last wages to buy the two sailors enough grog to earn their grudging trust.
Although Mikasa was dead set against her friends joining the Freedom, she refused to watch from a distance as they failed miserably or signed their fate away. She slowly filtered through the crowd, but by the time she reached the two boys, Eren had already opened his mouth.
"You're from the Freedom, aren't you?"
The louder drunk with floppy, mousey brown hair turned towards the three and scoffed before returning to his mug. His companion, dark-haired and solemn, watched them curiously with dark eyes not yet dulled by the effects of alcohol.
Eren repeated the question again in a louder, angrier tone
The darker haired sailor tilted his head at the three. "Aren't you a bit young to be—"
"If First Mate Levi was here, he'd say—but he isn't here, so I'll say it," the brunet slurred. "You shitty brats better get home and leave us soldiers alone." He turned back towards his companion, smiling cheekily. "I sounded like h-hic-im, didn't I, Gunther?" The darker haired man neither nodded nor tore his gaze away from the strange collection of youths in front of him. The brunet was furious; the girl looked faintly relieved, though her mask was considerably blank; the blond seemed more curious than anything else.
Eren gritted his teeth at the obvious rejection. He slammed his fist down on the table, rattling the various mugs and pitchers laced across the bar. A hushed silence settled heavily amongst the crowd as all eyes slowly rounded on the developing scene. Armin pursed his lips, sensing the rising storm, and Mikasa placed a calming hand on the boy's shoulder.
Eren's action jostled the drunken brunet, causing the man to choke on his drink. He lowered the mug, sputtering and glaring at the three. He rose, trembling fist in a weak imitation of readiness and determination to fight. "You little p—"
A small ring of curious onlookers surrounded the conflicting parties, interested in seeing some action that night. The owner of the tavern watched the scene unfold with a very unsatisfied scowl as he reached for something underneath the bar. The situation was getting bad. Armin glanced to the side and noticed Eren and (more dangerously) Mikasa were almost moved to blows as well if things got sticky.
Sorry, Eren.
"Oh…uh, sir!" Armin's high-pitched, panicked shout rose above the encouraging grunts of the watching crowd and Eren's frustrated muttering. The brunet drunk blinked once and turned his bleary, pained gaze on the blond.
"Eh, what is it?" he whined slightly.
"I'm sorry my friend disrupted your, uh, evening…" Armin began slowly for the man's benefit. "We were simply curious as to where you were going next…? Uh, we have a bet you see…"
The older man lowered his fist and gawped at the blonde. "Eh…?" he repeated with a dumbstruck expression.
"Yes… Eren," he gestured towards the still glowering boy who was barely kept in check by Mikasa's painfully tight grip on his forearm, "thought you were going out to sea, since that would explain your stop for supplies, but I had a feeling the Freedom was set to head towards the north coast to—"
The man cut Armin off with a hearty laugh. "I hope you didn't bet too much, boy, since you would have lost." Gunther shot his companion a warning glance, but the brunet barreled on with what he was saying. "As soon as we're ready to leave tomorrow, we're heading straight for the open sky—er, sea," the man dribbled. His eyes squinted as his grasp on speech lessened.
"Aurou…"
"Taking the route down Stohess coast."
Armin frowned at the man's accidental slip. He remembered seeing Captain Erwin's map in Pixis's office, though that was not the fastest route to the major shipping lanes. Either the Captain had outdated instructions or he was interested in something very far out of the way. Eren did say they were missing a navigator, though that's very in the wrong direction…
Although Armin was the first to shatter the mounting tensions, Mikasa was the one who ended the encounter. She forcefully grabbed the still fuming Eren and spun him around, pulling him quickly back through the crowd. Armin followed quietly, thinking of what the drunken man had uttered. Perhaps he was too drunk to know what he was saying…? Maybe he was misinformed…? When Mikasa towed the still struggling Eren through the crowd, she all but shoved him out of the door to the tavern. Eren stumbled backwards and landed with a heavy thud on the dirty street. He glared at the two standing before him as if they had betrayed him openly. In a way, Armin supposed, they had.
"That was our only chance to join the Freedom," the boy seethed, picking himself off of the ground. "I can't believe you ruined it!"
"Eren!" Mikasa barked, narrowing her eyes into dangerous slits. "That wasn't the way to join them."
The boy froze and nodded once, his angry expression melting away into one of resignation. "You're right," he sighed and the girl accepted the apology with a single nod. As Mikasa entered the tavern alone to retrieve their forgotten belongings, Eren glanced towards Armin to thank the boy for his quick action and frowned at the boy's distracted, distant expression.
"Armin…?"
The blond blinked and turned towards Eren. "Eh, sorry. I was just thinking about what the one said."
"How they were going out to open sea? I know…" A childish, wistful whine crept into Eren's tone.
Armin shook his head. "Yes, but no. Going by the coast isn't the best course if they want to go out at this time of the year."
"What do you mean, Armin?"
The boy frowned. "Captain Erwin's map was of the Stohess coast, so I believe that one sailor when he said that's where they are trying to go. It's just that at this time of the year, the coast is extremely dangerous. Both from the currents and weather and from pirates looking for a refuge and a last minute haul before the summer storms arrive." The boy's face was flushed with eagerness at the chance to employ his knowledge on navigation. "They should know that…?" Armin added uncertainly, giving the blond captain the benefit of the doubt.
"So they're going in the wrong direction on purpose…" Eren mused slowly. Mikasa returned, holding Eren's salt-stained jacket under one arm and Armin's patched hand-down under the other. She surveyed the conversation with a faintly displeased stare, not particularly happy that the topic under debate was still the Freedom. However, as long as Eren wasn't proclaiming his intentions to join the crew, she was satisfied.
Armin nodded once. "Exactly, though I don't know why."
"Maybe they're lost," the brunet shrugged.
"Maybe," Armin repeated.
"I bet they'd be sailing in circles without a navigator," Eren grinned, shooting a mischievous glance towards his best friend. "You haven't even seen the map and you know they're messed up."
"I wouldn't exactly sa—"
"Oi! What do you brats know about navigation?"
At the curt knock on his quarter's door, the blond captain of the Freedom glanced up with an expectant expression. His curiosity melted into a genuine smile when he realized who accompanied the first mate.
"I'm done playing nurse over these brats," Levi announced, unkindly shoving Armin and Eren into the room and ignoring Mikasa's soft hiss of annoyance. "They nearly caused Auruo to be banned from another tavern." The short man sent a dark glare in Eren's direction. "Next time send Hanji to look over them." The first mate immediately crossed to the arm chair opposite Erwin's desk and slouched casually in the seat after brushing away imperceptible dirt on his uniform.
"I'm sure that won't be necessary, Levi," the blond smiled reassuringly at the wide-eyed youths in front of him. "All a misunderstanding. Is that right, Mister Arlert?" His crinkled, amused gaze settled on the youngest of the three.
The younger blond stiffened and nodded equally stiffly. "Yes, sir. Yes, Captain Erwin," he repeated.
"No need to be so formal, Mister Arlert," the captain's smile widened. Armin felt his gut twist each time the man addressed him as "Mister Arlert," though it wasn't an unpleasant feeling. He rather enjoyed it, for it made him feel like more than just a clerk boy. Earlier in his childhood fantasies, he had always pictured the captain of future dream his ship addressing him similarly.
The short man shifted in the seat across from Erwin and surveyed each of the kids with a disinterested stare, but he said nothing. Levi, feared first mate of the infamous Freedom, then crossed his legs and yawned. Armin glanced to his left and noticed that Eren's slack jawed, admiring gaze had not left the darker haired man. Mikasa, he observed, was not impressed with humanity's fiercest first mate. Armin was unsure of what his own expression revealed, though he had a sinking suspicion that his eager, terrified face more likely mirrored Eren's reverent, awed fawning gaze than Mikasa's disinterested glare.
"Though I am curious as to what caused the misunderstanding," Erwin started casually, smiling reassuringly at the three youths in front of him.
Eren finally snapped out of his admiration and stood up straighter. "We want to join the Freedom," he stated without hesitation.
"Really?" Erwin's eyebrow lifted in thinly suppressed amusement.
Eren took the man's lack of blatant rejection as encouragement to continue.
"My mother was killed by pirates three years ago," Eren began slowly, his voice hardening as he remembered the events. Armin pressed his lips together and dropped his gaze, only to have it meet the first mate's cool stare. The blond started and quickly looked away. Captain Erwin's gaze and his first mate's gaze were equally intense, he concluded, though one was fiery and the other felt icy.
"My father drowned while at sea many years ago," Eren added. "Mikasa's parents died too," he gestured towards the blank faced girl. "And Armin's…"
Erwin steeped his fingers on his desk in his temporary land-based office and leaned towards the three youths. "Why are you so determined to be a crew member of the Freedom then?" His curious stare burned into Eren's equally passionate gaze. "It seems as if the sea is your enemy."
"The sea is where those cowards hide." Eren's bitter grimace caused the blond captain's brows to twitch in unexpected surprise. "I'm going to find them and I'm going to kill them all."
"But why the Freedom?" The solemn first mate injected himself in the conversation for the first time. He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest, eyeing the boy with an unimpressed stare. "If you brats want to kill pirates, then join one of the king's shitty battleships."
"Now, Levi—" Erwin started, glancing nervously towards the youths. "You don't wa—"
"The Freedom is the fastest ship that flies under the king's flag," Armin interrupted, feeling a strange sense of courage well up in his chest. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt in a while. "It is also one of the only ships to ever face the Titan and sur—"
"What do you know about the Titan?" Levi sneered, leaning towards the blond with a thunderous expression.
Armin bit his lip, realizing he shouldn't have spoken. The Titan was the ship that had landed at their port three years ago. He had seen the legendary black sails from the town center, though he told no one the identity of their invaders. He hadn't even told Eren the name of his vengeance. Evidentially the ship was also a sensitive subject for the sailors before him. Even Captain Erwin's once friendly smile seemed strained at the boy's last statement.
"So, you want to join the Freedom?" The blond captain smiled thinly. "What skills can you offer us?" Levi snorted derisively, but he kept his narrowed gaze firmly on the fidgeting blond boy.
Eren smiled widely, dismissing the tension in the room and his friend's discomfort in favor of achieving his dream. To him, the Titan was just another ship he would eventually destroy. "Mikasa's very strong," he began excitedly. "She's the best swimmer of all of us."
"Is that so?" Erwin lifted an eyebrow and smiled at the solemn girl, who merely sighed and glanced away. He looked back towards Eren.
"I can see that you're very determined, Eren" he remarked.
"I'm going to kill all of the pirates," the boy responded with a nonchalant shrug, as if this admission was a casual statement. He never stopped to wonder how the captain seemed to know his name before giving it to him.
"I can see you both could be valuable deck hands on board the Freedom," Erwin continued to smile in his confident, encouraging way. "Though I hear Armin has another talent…?"
Eren grinned, nudging his best friend, who blinked and shuffled sheepishly. The latter still felt ashamed by his earlier transgression, though he had no idea what it had meant, and was determined to not worsen his or his friends' situation any further.
"Armin's the best map reader on Shiganshina!" Eren enthused with a wide grin. "He used to show us all of his grandfather's maps." A small smile even crept across the solemn girl's pursed lips at the shared childhood memories.
"Is that so?" Erwin repeated again, looking back at the blond with a calculating expression. Armin kept his gaze firmly on the wooden floor.
The candle in the man's room gutted suddenly, throwing dark shadows across the walls. The blond captain glanced towards the oil level in his lamps and frowned. "It's late," he announced. "We should probably wrap this up, shouldn't we, Levi? We leave tomorrow afternoon," the man confided with a conspiratorial smile.
"Do you have any objections to these three fine youths joining the ranks of the Freedom, Levi?" Erwin's stare locked firmly onto the gaze of his first mate, daring the latter to make any snide or demeaning remark. Instead the shorter man sighed and shrugged in a surrendering sort of way.
"I can find something for the two brats to do," he acquiesced to his captain with a slight dip of his head. He shot a flat glance in Mikasa's and Eren's direction. "Something has to be cleaned."
Erwin smiled, "Excellent. And I'm sure Hanji can find a place for Mister Armin."
Levi snorted again, though he did not elaborate on the reason.
Erwin turned back towards the three gathered youths before him. His jovial expression turned briefly somber for a moment.
"The Freedom is not simply a ship," he began in a low, warning voice. "The crew members of this vessel take their responsibility to humanity very seriously. As you have discovered already, the sea is a very dangerous place. If you are absolutely certain that you want to take part in this life, you have my permission to join the crew." Erwin leaned back and smiled warmly, breaking the tense spell he had previously set.
"Please think about it over a night's rest and if you are still interested in sailing with the Freedom."
Eren nodded enthusiastically, though his bright gaze already announced his final decision. Even Mikasa looked vaguely thoughtful by the man's proposition. Armin mashed his lips together and met the captain's firm stare, wondering if he was signing away his life by not looking away.
"I wish you good night," Erwin smiled, waving at the three youths. Levi slowly untangled his short limbs and crossed to the door, holding it open for the others. Eren was the first of the teenagers to move towards the door with Mikasa following him like a second shadow. The brunet was determined to get the best sleep imaginable to best prepare him for his looming big day.
As Armin passed through the door, an icy grip caught on his upper arm, causing him to gasp involuntarily. His gaze darted to the side to meet Levi's relentless scowl.
"Would you mind waiting a moment, Mister Arlert?" Erwin glanced up from the papers scattered across his desk. Eren halted in his journey and turned expectantly, prepared to act if issues were to arise.
Erwin noticed the boy's hesitation to leave and smiled reassuringly at the two older teenagers. "I was just curious about Mister Arlert's advice for our next course. It shouldn't take long," he added.
Eren nodded slowly and looked back towards the blond to see if the boy was in any discomfort.
Armin smiled weakly. "I'll meet you outside?" he offered.
"Alright…" He and Mikasa turned and continued walking, the former throwing one last curious glance in his best friend's direction. When the twin set of footsteps faded down the stairs, Armin braced himself and turned to face the blond captain's next statement.
I shouldn't have said that thing about the Titan… he echoed forlornly in his mind. He's going to tell me that I can't be a part of the Freedom. Eren will be so upset…
"You mentioned the Titan?"
Here it comes… "Yes," the boy admitted with a sigh. "It was the ship that attacked our port three years ago. I recognized the black sails from the stories."
"Interesting," Erwin nodded. Levi's iron vise around Armin's upper arm loosened and Armin felt the blood pool again into his fingertips.
"Levi also told me that you don't think Stohess coast is the best way to get to the open sea?"
Armin nodded slowly. "With all due respect, Captain Erwin, but it is not. The Stohess coast is often occupied by pirates looking for shelter at this time of year. I would recommend heading towards Karanese instead."
"Interesting," Erwin repeated, nodding ever so slightly. "I wouldn't have thought they would be accessible at this time of year."
"The ports are empty since most of the trade has been brought in for the season," Armin responded, drawing on the distant knowledge his grandfather had instilled within him many years ago. Thinking back to those times brought the boy stinging memories that weren't entirely unpleasant.
"I think we've made the right choice, Levi. Don't you think?"
Levi shrugged and made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. "We'll see what Hanji thinks of him," he responded cryptically. For the second time that night, Armin suddenly felt wariness at meeting his technological idol.
"Well, that is all I can think of asking tonight, Mister Arlert. I suggest you follow your friends' examples and get a good night's rest," he smiled again at the boy and waving him off with a friendly wave. The boy received no greeting from the surly first mate, though he didn't expect to. He numbly plodded down each of the steps and met the curious, prying gaze of Eren when he pushed through the building's exit door. Evidentially the boy refused to head for home without speaking with Armin.
"What did he want?" Eren asked immediately once the boy was completely outside.
Armin shrugged. "He just wanted advice on the best course to sail," he admitted, thinking nothing of the earlier question about the Titan.
Thank you for reading! Sorry again for the long introduction chapter. More action next chapter, I promise!