Chapter Text
Fifteen years had past since the end of the Rumbling. The power of the titans was no more and peace on Paradis island had finally been achieved. For Armin Arlelt, it was a peace long fought for. He was finally able to return to his home despite the many accusations of him being a traitor. Armin now lived peacefully with his wife Annie Leonhart in Shiganshina the place where he grew up. It took awhile to convince Annie given the fact that it was her team that broke the wall in the first place but eventually she came around.
Armin and Annie live happily with their son and daughter-twins actually- by the names of Lukas and Lucia. Both their children were happy and carefree because there was no threat of the titans anymore. No more danger…Lukas and Lucia were born free. Armin dreaded the day however when they would have to explain to their children..what was the cost of their freedom. He never told his kids about Eren and how many lives his best friend took on his quest for freedom . Eren’s death still weighed heavy as was the many lives he took during the rumbling. Not a day passed by where he did not think of Eren and how much he missed him. Despite this, he was happy and he would not trade it for anything else.
Armin looked out on the street as the streets were getting ready for Halloween. Halloween-it was a concept that was so foreign to him. As the alliance bridged the gap between Paradis and the rest of the world (what was left of it anyway) new concepts and traditions were introduced. Halloween and Christmas were foreign concepts that Paradis were introduced to but gladly welcomed. It was nice to have something to celebrate especially after all the death and destruction caused by the rumbling. Armin pondered the introduction of these new holidays as Christmas was definitely more interesting. The idea of a fat man riding magical deer giving presents to children was so funny it warmed his heart. His kids also seemed to love it as they would always leave out milk and cookies for him. As for Halloween…halloween was the stranger one. The holiday had a sort of sinister tone to it. The idea of dressing and going around getting candy was nice but there was another side of Halloween that Armin was not too fond of. It was the side that was sinister..it was believed that ghosts would roam the streets during the months leading up to October 31. Ghosts looking for ways to talk with the loved ones they left behind. It was creepy if not downright sinister to think that ghosts were real . As the thought passed his mind..Armin scoffed at himself. He was Armin Arlelt..nothing could scare him he faced titans the size of the highest buildings. He faced the end of the world. In that perspective what could ghosts do? Oh how wrong he was
At first..it was not noticeable, Armin just thought his kids were seeing things. Everyday before work at the embassy in Shiganshina, Armin and Annie would leave their kids in the care of an older woman in the village named Denise. The past months since they hired Denise were and they left their kids in her care were uneventful. Nothing was out of the ordinary when it came to how their kids were reacting. That was until these past couple of weeks. Denise had reported that the kids were talking to something or someone while they played in the backyard of Armin and Annie’s house. Both Lukas and Lucia were reported to having conversations with someone but as Denise looked out.. there was nothing to be seen. It was just an empty backyard.
Armin thought nothing of it..at first. It was common at this age for children to have imaginary friends. It seemed like it was nothing out of the ordinary. When he asked Lukas and Lucia about it all they said was a line Armin could not decipher. “He’s your friend papa..not ours.” Armin could not understand what that meant. Jean and Connie were living in Trost while Captain Levi was in Stohess. Reiner had taken residence in the Orvud District. There were no friends of his near the Area.
Armin let the thought pass by. His kids probably had an over active imagination maybe it was time for them to be introduced to the other village kids. It would be better than imaginary friends.
The days passed by and the reports from Denise kept coming in. Every day as October rolled by new reports of Lukas and Lucia were given. They would talk with this imaginary friend in long conversations. Lukas and Lucia would tell their imaginary friend about Armin and Annie in great detail. It had gotten to the point where Armin was concerned..imaginary friends were ok but it should not ruin their daily life. It got even stranger when something happened one night.
Armin woke up to the sound of giggling and laughing as he checked the clock he saw that it was half past 2. Annie woke up as well asking Armin- is that me ? or are those our kids? Armin went out of his and Annie’s room and went downstairs to see that his kids were laughing and dancing in a circle in pure darkness only illuminated by a candle they put on awhile ago. When he went to ask what they were doing all his kids could say was that they were just playing with Armin’s friend who visited them. It took an hour and a long talk from Annie to their kids to say that whatever friend visited them it was not an excuse to wake up at 2:30.
Now Armin was worried..he was concerned that this imaginary friend that his kids were playing with could be the result of some mental disease or maybe something they were feeding their kids. As they brought their kids to the local Shiganshina doctor, the diagnosis was deemed all clear. Their kids seemed to be in perfect health. However the playing with their imaginary friend continued. Denise would report that they were still talking to this imaginary friend of theirs.
All these sightings finally came to a climax today when while in a meeting to discuss new legislation Paradis police came and entered to speak with Armin and Annie. Armin listened as the police said that Lukas nearly drowned in the river because he slipped and fell. Armin and Annie rushed back to the house and saw Denise in hysterics as she was trying to warm a soaked Lukas while Lucia looked on.
Armin had never yelled at his children but there was always a first time for everything. By the end of his rant both Lukas and Lucia were in tears as Armin put the proverbial foot down and sent both of them to their room. Annie herself was inconsolable that night as she spent hours crying at what could have happened to her beloved boy. By 10:00 pm and on his third glass of whiskey , he heard a knock on his door as Armin opened it..he saw a face he missed. It was Mikasa.
Mikasa was a good listener. She remained silent while Armin discussed everything. How their kids have an imaginary friend. How this imaginary friend was the cause of a lot of incidents this past month. How Lukas nearly drowned and how Armin got mad. By the end of this long narration, Mikasa was pondering on the idea of what to do. After a few minutes of silence..Mikasa said- “I think it is best if we hear out the children on their own terms let them explain.” This is how at 12:00 midnight Mikasa, Armin, and Annie were seated at the dining room table looking at Lukas and Lucia. Armin was the first to break the silence.
“Lukas and Lucia..I want to first apologize by saying sorry for getting mad but do you realize what could have happened? Lukas you nearly drowned. If it wasn't for the helpful citizens who new how to swim you could have died. What were you doing there?”- Armin said
“We’re sowey papa..we just wanted to see the place where your friend said you and he played. It was my fault though..I slipped,” Lukas said sniffling
“What are you talking about Lukas? You’re imaginary friend is not real. He does not exist!! It is your imagination!!”- Armin said heatedly.
“But he is real papa!! He said he was your friend!! He said you grew up together here in this town. You, him, and Auntie Mikasa!! That you three were the best of friends!! That you made his life worth living!! He said he loved you and Auntie Mikasa the most!! That his favorite memory was when you saw the sea together for the first time!! That’s why we were there to see the place where he showed you the book of the outside world”- Lukas said with tears in his eyes
Armin..has felt fear before. He felt it when the wall broke and he felt it when he faced Bertholdt. He felt it every outside scouting expedition, he felt it when he faced Kenny the ripper, and he felt it during the Rumbling. But nothing…made his blood run cold as the sentence his child said. Paralyzed with fear a voice came from behind him. A voice he recognized as Mikasa and as he turned to look at Mikasa he saw something that he has never seen in Mikasa’s eyes. Mikasa looked..afraid. Mikasa who had faced titans, assassins, and the Marleyan military had fear in her eyes. It was Mikasa (with tears in her eyes) who spoke next.
“L-l-lukas? What did your friend look like?”- Mikasa asked?
“He’s older that us auntie Mikasa!! He is tall with green eyes and long hair and there are scars from his eyes to his cheek”- replied Lukas
“What else did you and your friend talk about?”- Mikasa inquired further
“We talk about you Auntie!! and Papa!! He says he is very very sorry for the things he said and did. He misses you and Papa the most auntie Mikasa. He said he wanted to marry you and have children with you. He says that he is happy you made a life for yourself and papa as well”.- Lukas replied
It was silence for a whole minute when finally Lucia broke it.
“He said he loves you auntie Mika and that he never hated you. He loved you more than his own life and he is very sorry for leaving you. He wants to see you actually!! He wants to meet you and uncle Armin by the tree where you raced. He wants to meet you on halloween night and he wants to just talk…just talk to you again.”- said Lucia.
Mikasa then broke down in tears as she let the sobs overcome her.
Finally, Armin found his voice and asked Lukas and Lucia a question he should have asked when he first heard about their imaginary friend that in hindsight was not so imaginary now.
“Lukas..Lucia..what is the name of our friend?”
It was then Lukas and Lucia said a name that was only ever talked about in hushed conversations or worshiped by the people of Paradis.
“Eren…his name is Eren Yeager..papa”
By next morning, the word was sent out to Historia, Levi, Jean, Connie, and Reiner anyone that was friends of Eren they were contacted. Mikasa left the house early morning to no doubt be by herself and think about all of this. Lukas and Lucia were not allowed to leave the house until after October 31st and Armin? Armin did not know what to think…for the first time in his life he did not have an answer. But he knew two things at the end of the night ..the first was that the devil is haunting Shiganshina and the second was the his children-Lukas and Lucia..were friends with the devil.