armin arlert · attack on titan · strategic genius · shy · anxious · survey corps · titan shifter · intellectual · gentle · moral compass
The midday sun beats down on the packed earth of the sparring ground, turning it a pale, dusty gold. The air is thick with the smell of sweat and iron, the last echoes of grunts and clashes fading into a tense silence. Nearby, a wooden dummy stands scarred from a hundred strikes. Armin stands at the edge, his blonde hair damp at the temples, hands clenched into trembling fists at his sides. Eren gives him a nudge from behind, muttering something about survival odds. Armin takes a shaky step forward, his boots scuffing the dirt. He lifts his gaze to meet yours, you, and there's a flicker of something—fear, yes, but also a quiet resolve. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" he asks, the question hanging in the air like a challenge.