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~*The Aftermath of The Fall*~

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Noah P.O.V

It had been the three days after the fall of shiganshina. Most of the refugees had woken up and got breakfast. Armin woke up after me as he patted my head. I hugged teddie closer as he told me, he would find his grandpa. 

For a little while, Mikasa woke up as she noticed my shaking. She scooted over to me and rubbed my back. I leaned into her as we waited for eren to get up. At this point, it felt like he was never going to get up. Suddenly, Eren was shaking just like me. Wanting to comfort him, I went over and rubbed his arm.

Suddenly, he gripped my hand and I felt pain from the intense pressure he put. Mikasa noticed and quickly shouted for eren to wake up. Immediately, he woke up covered in sweat. When he caught his breath, he noticed what he was holding and my winced face.

Letting go as he looked down feeling guility. 

Eren: S-Sorry, I hurt your hand

Noah: i-it's okay 

Mikasa: Eren, did you have a nightmare?

Eren: n-no but...I get the feeling....I saw dad

Mikasa: Impossible. It must've been a dream

Eren: you think?

Noah: l-lets go, they're giving us food

Eren: right

The three of us got up and left the shed where broad daylight was found. Clenching our eyes until we adjusted to the sunlight where many of the refugees who escaped with us stand in line. 

Mikasa: this place used to be the food reserves

Noah: O-Only those who c-came by shi-ships c-came here

"HEY STOP CUTTING IN LINE!!"

"SHUT UP!! I HAVEN'T EATEN ANYTHING SINCE YESTERDAY!?!"

Armin: Eren! Mikasa! Noah!

The fight between the two men went on until we heard armin's voice. Looking over to see him rushing over with his arms over and bread sticking out. When he stopped near us, he caught his breath and stood back up.

Eren: Armin?

Armin: Look! I made it! Grandpa got these for us kids!

Noah: (armin hands bread to noah) h-how nice of y-your grandpa to do that

Mikasa: (armin hands bread to mikasa) thanks

Finally, Armin passed off the last piece of bread to eren who stared at it until he felt another person staring. I noticed he looked at someone, following his eye of direction to see a garrison soldier like hannes. He scoffed and walked away as we all stare in confusion.

Eren: what's his problem?

Armin: It's how it goes, there isn't enough rations to go around for everyone. This is an entire day's worth. There are just too many refugees. There's always been a food shortage, and you know how people always took down on those who live in the outskirts

Noah: o-oh (grips teddie) 

"why do we have to give our food to outsiders?"

That comment caught our attention, listening into the conversation of the garrison looking at the four men arguing over food or cutting in line. I didn't pay attention, my attention along with Eren, Mikasa, and Armin was what the garrison soldier said.

"I mean the tians broke through the wall anyway. They should've eaten more of them"

The comment set a flame in me along with eren. I didn't want to do confrontation but eren certainly did. Stomping over to the garrison soldier who blabbered on until he got kicked in the leg. 

"What the hell are you doing, you brat?!"

The two garrison soliders punched and kicked eren. The flame that was inside grew larger as I ran over and put my arms out in front of them. Glaring at them who flinched as the others saw our interaction. 

Noah: S-STOP THAT! W-WHAT KIND OF SOLDIERS A-ARE YOU B-BEATING UP MY FRIEND!!

"Yeah! leave those kids alone!!"

"we're trying to survive here and you're mocking us for trying to leave"

"you should be ashamed of yourselves"

Everyone began insulting the two garrison soldiers who were overwhelmed with all the insults. He just walked away from the kids, glaring at them one last time before marching off. 

"you kids alright, those soldiers. We pay them our taxes and we get this response"

Noah: y-yeah but my friend--

"here, just place them over his wounds and he should be fine"

Noah: t-thank you

The woman left back to her line as the others went back to getting food. Eren clenched the ground and glared at the food in his hand.

Eren: I'd rather die than leech off people like him...

Noah: E-Eren....

As the commotion between the soldiers died off, we went under the roof near the cabins and finished our meals. When I finished mine, I placed the bandage on eren's cheek as he winced. I kissed his cheek and look back at my food, finishing the last bite. 

Everyone finished their food but...Eren however, did no eating whatsoever. Just glaring at it until the rest of us noticed that he hadn't taken even a nibble of his bread.

Eren: I'll be back inside wall maria to kill off all the titans

Armin: Eren, you're not serious, right?

Eren: I've never been more serious! (stands up) I'm not like those people who only act thought when protected by the wall!! (glares at bread) I don't need this crap!

Eren throws his bread at armin who fumbles around with the bread until he gripped it to his chest. His face held worry as he stared at eren still holding the bread.

Armin: Eren, what are you doing!?!

Noah: Y-You should r-really eat, eren!

Eren: Doesn't it piss you off? We can't do anything against the Titans because we live off of such pity!?

Armin: It's impossible!! Nothing can defeat them! Our only choice is to live inside the walls. If you do anything rash, you'll die the same way my parents did!

Eren: so that's why you're sucking up to those people!?

Noah: E-Eren, he-he's not--

Eren: NOAH stay out of this!! 

He slapped my hand away as I flinched and retracted it back. I rubbed where the pain was as Eren and Armin continued to fight. Mikasa noticed my red became red after eren slapped it away. Enough was enough for her, this had gone long enough. She took her own actions and....

Noah: M-Mikasa

Mikasa: if armin's weak, then so are you, Noah, and I are weak. We couldn't even escape the titans or leave the city by ourselves. Even the food we eat is from someone else. There's absolutely no chance of us weaklings taking down even one titan. What's important is staying alive, just as mrs. jeager said

Mikasa gently ruffled my hair in comfort as she walked past me. She grabbed the bread from armin's arms and walked over to Eren who clenched his cheek. He looked away until he felt mikasa near him, looking towards her who stuffed his mouth with bread.

Armin: Mikasa?

Mikasa: Eat. Eat and stay alive. I won't let you starve to death

Eren cried as he ate the bread, mikasa letting go as he finished the bread and looked at the ground. He looked back up at me as I flinched. He noitced and felt even more guilty but got up and went over to me. He patted my head and looked in sincere worry.

Eren: Noah...I'm sorry for hitting you. I was a stupid idiot and I'm sorry

I smiled as I hugged around his neck.

Noah: hehe, yeah I forgive you my stupid idiot

Eren blushed but laughed it as the others smiled. Things were going well during dark times but they still had to face reality. Their once home is destroyed and they must grow up to face that threat once more.

Few Days Later (Refugee Shed) 

Third P.O.V

It was another day for the refugees doing their own needs. Currently, Armin and Mikasa layed on the wall. Watching Eren and Noah play fight with each other. Or what eren likes to call it, "training".

There were times that Armin made note of how many times Eren had won. Answer, 15 and Noah had no wins so far. 

Armin: Mikasa

Mikasa: yeah

Armin: remember when you told eren that "There's absolutely no chance of us weaklings taking down even one titan."

Mikasa: (blush) you remember such a detail, I do saying that but why?

Armin: Grandpa told me not to tell this but I feel like I can trust you with this information

Mikasa: go on?

Armin: You were wrong when you said that...I.I think Noah as a chance of one titan

Mikasa: (shocked) H-Huh? Noah has a chance?

Mikasa looks over to Noah who winces in pain as eren jumps on him before he could do that. Noah rolled over as eren face planted to the ground as Noah got up and tackled him. Mikasa took a closer look at the boy before him. But nothing...

Mikasa: I don't get how my words were wrong armin

Armin: it'd make sense because you weren't there. It was after you chased after Eren to your mom's house. Noah and I raced over to my grandpa when a titan blocked our path

Mikasa was shocked and continued to listen to the story.

Armin: Both of us were in fear until Noah came up and yelled at it. I thought he was being ridicciouls for trying to do that. I wanted to tug his clothes and tell him to run but then.... the unexpected happened as it petted noah on the head and left off. No hunger around to catch neither me or my grandpa.

Mikasa: h-how is that possible?!

Armin: I'm....I'm only saying this from what I saw but.... (looks at noah and eren) I wonder what was the real reason for that? If not, the three of us wouldn't be here

Mikasa: don't say that, you three are here now and nothing will change that

Armin: y-you're right

Noah: Mikasa!! Armin!!

The two kids looked over to Noah who smiled as he landed on mikasa's lap. He smiled as sweat was around him as she noticed Eren come by breathless. 

Noah: G-Guess what!! I beat eren after so m-many fails!!

Eren: (Blush) I-I was caught off guard

Noah: a win is s-still a win

Noah smiled as he snuggled closer into mikasa's lap and fell asleep. The other kids smiling as they sat by each other and talked. In the distance, armin's grandpa smiled as his grandchild smiled. 

"Noah, you bring hope despite the despair that we all witnessed. Please, take care of armin for me" 

Armin's grandpa whispered to himself as he laid back down and slept. Not noticing the stare armin gave to his grandpa. 

SleepyWolves: Hope you don't mind the near end. Might be too OOC