Chapter Text
Armin loved the tales his parents used to tell him, of dreams of flying in the skies, of seeing things others don't believe to even exist, and although they never told him explicitly, Armin found the book that told of things outside the walls and knew it was real.
And he knew what his parents were planning.
Both his father and mother were extremely intelligent and good at making mechanisms and the like, and that led Armin to believe that if anyone could fly over the walls and the titans, it would be his parents.
He could hear them planning it at night, talking about mechanisms and tools, theories and about the parts they needed. He could see them going out in the middle of the night with sacks full of parts and tools to leave in their hideout.
Armin was excited that his parents were going out, because when they came back, he knew they would tell him everything about the world, maybe they would even let him go with them on their next trip, maybe they could even bring Eren and Mikasa along too.
It was exactly 5 days before his birthday that Armin heard his parents talking about how they were ready for a test flight.
The dream of seeing them fly, and with the date so close to his birthday, Armin couldn't help but get excited and imagine that this was going to be his birthday present.
Finally, that day arrived.
His parents left him with his grandfather, promising to come back for dinner because they had to do a quick job, but Armin knew that was a lie.
Because he knows what his parents look like when they lie.
As soon as his parents left, Armin took a small bag with apples and looked up at his grandfather.
"They forgot their lunch, I'll take it to them and then I'll go with Eren." Armin exclaimed with a huge smile.
His grandfather trusted him, Armin knew the way to his parents' secret workshop and has helped them with jobs many times, even if he felt an uncertainty in his chest that didn't seem to cease, the old man let his grandson go.
In the forest, there was a stone path that ended at an abandoned cabin, from there there was an old path that continued to the well and then around the apple tree.
It was the path his parents took to go to their secret machine, Armin heard them mention it twice, but he had a very good memory.
Armin moved forward and hid in the bushes surrounding the small clearing where his parents kept the balloon hidden under a blanket. However, before Armin could come out of the bushes to surprise his parents.
"Attention!"
A man's voice sounded loud and clear in the forest, stopping Armin completely.
With the shyness of a small rabbit, Armin peeked his eyes out from between the branches and leaves of the bush, doing his best to not be seen.
He could see his parents being surrounded by soldiers, and not just any soldiers, but the military police, wearing their unicorn symbols with pride, elegance and arrogance.
"For the crime of challenging the king's authority, plotting, and building an unknown artifact with the sole purpose of leaving the walls, you are sentenced to the maximum capital punishment."
The man raised his arm and instantly the group of soldiers got into position, raising their rifles against the couple.
"Aim!"
His parents didn't stay still, they ran towards the balloon, his mother tripped and his father tried to help her climb into the balloon's basket, leaning down to wrap his arm around her body.
They were running away, stumbling, moving away from him.
"Fire!"
The sound was deafening.
Armin's hands quickly flew to his ears, feeling a sharp pain at the loud sound of the gunshots.
Then he saw his mother fall to the ground, blood pouring from her mouth and chest, her body stretched out as she tried to reach her father.
His father soon fell out of the basket, his head covered in blood and hitting the ground with a dull, wet sound that made him nauseous.
The green grass contrasted with the red blood.
A shaky breath left his lips in a weak, strangled squeal.
Armin had just witnessed his parents' death.
His eyes couldn't stop looking at them.
He couldn't-
"Hey, what are you...?"
The branches snapped open and one of the soldiers found him.
Armin jumped and immediately began to run away from the clearing.
"Don't let him get away, Dok!"
"Bu-but it's a child!"
"A child with eyes and a mouth! That's an order!"
Armin kept running, even when he heard the footsteps of the soldier behind him.
There was the apple tree.
Armin turned next to the apple tree, his breathing loud and labored, his side beginning to hurt.
"Hey, stop!" the soldier shouted.
But Armin didn't stop.
He would run as fast as his short legs would allow him.
He kept running, not even following the path anymore, he just wanted to get away.
If only he could run faster.
Then his foot caught on a branch and he fell to the ground.
The stones jammed into his hands painfully as he turned to see the soldier.
The man looked at him with pity, raising his rifle and aiming with shaking hands, the man took a deep breathe.
"Take off your sweater." The soldier ordered.
Armin couldn't even hesitate, his eyes filled with tears as he gave in and took off the old blue sweater his grandfather had given him a year ago.
The man took the sweater and threw it on the ground before taking a firmer grip on his rifle.
Only a single shot could be heard echoing through the forest.