Work Text:
Eren had changed. His eyes were dull—a contrast from the greyish-green eyes from a year ago, and a stark difference compared to the eyes before the loss of his home. The hair that once remained uneven and short was lengthened until it curled at his cheeks. But despite the change, Armin noted that he still parted it in the middle like always.
However, that wasn’t all.
Eren used to be rambunctious. He wasn’t loud and impulsive all the time , but most of the time , and that formed the image of a hotheaded suicidal bastard for the 104th Training Corps. But ever since the recapture of Wall Maria and the shocking reveal of the humanity that laid beyond the walls… Eren became quiet. His expression was the epitome of apathy, and his words were no longer laced with fire and passion. Instead, he spoke curtly and softly… much like Mikasa.
Yes, Eren had changed. And yes, Armin wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
“—and beyond the ocean is freedom… That’s what I always believed,” he took a shaky breath and slowly raised his arm to point at the horizon. “Hey Armin… if we kill all the enemies on the other side, will we finally be free?”
And all Armin wanted to do was throw a tantrum at his childhood friend for making the whole thing depressing. But he didn’t, because he was the ‘smart’ one, and smart people apparently don’t throw a tantrum. So he did the next best thing.
He punched Eren.
Maybe it was because he hadn’t expected a fist to be thrown, or maybe because he hadn’t expected it to collide with his face, or maybe it was because Armin doesn’t punch people period. Either way, when he hit the brunet’s cheek enough to bruise, Eren let out a strangled choke before collapsing into the waters, sputtering and coughing as salt-water entered his eyes and mouth.
He could distantly hear the silence that blanketed the rest of the Survey Corps and the shocked, “Armin!” That was addressed towards him, but he didn’t care.
“Laugh!” Armin yelled, uncharacteristically angry. “We’re at the beach! And-and—” he took a breath. “Why can’t you be happy?”
By then, Eren—still sitting in the waters, his clothes drenched and his shirt clinging to his skin—stared at the blond boy with an indiscernible look.
“O-oi,” Jean began hesitantly. “W-w-what are you guys doing?”
However, Armin continued as if he had never heard Jean speak. “You’ve changed since-since Wall Maria. You don’t smile anymore, you’re more withdrawn, quiet, and-and you always look unsurprised as if you know everything!” He exhaled, inhaled, and then said, “This was our dream, wasn’t it? The ocean?”
Eren looked away, his long hair obscuring his expression from the blond. “I…” he began. “I saw the ocean already,” he admitted. “My dad had seen the ocean when none of us had. And he…” he trailed off.
Armin frowned. “So?” He said snappishly.
Mikasa stared at Armin and Eren worriedly. “Armin—”
“So what?” Eren interrupted apathetically. “The world wasn’t like I thought it to be. That’s all.”
And for a moment, Armin was stumped, unsure of what to say, before, “Have you seen it in person? The world? Or is it memories again?”
Eren scowled ever so slightly at his friend. “What’s your probl—"
“Everything!” Armin interjected. He paused. “I-I don’t care if you saw it already in your dad’s memory! Just…” he gave Eren a watery smile. “Laugh. Just for today, Eren?”
The two stared at each other until Eren sighed.
“Sorry,” he apologized. He shook his head to get the water out and gave Armin a small smile. “You’re right,” he agreed. “We should have fun.”
The brunet slowly got out of the waters and stared at the horizon for a few moments before turning to Armin and Mikasa with a smile.
His eyes were bright, filled with light unlike the green orbs from just moments ago, and he was grinning. Grinning like nothing else mattered and Armin couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.
Because it was a smile he hadn’t seen since his vow to kill all the Titans.
But then he disappeared.
And Armin found out what Eren meant when he said, “The world wasn’t like I thought it to be.”
Because instead of the freedom that lied beyond the island, there were enemies who wanted nothing more than the eradication of them.