"Armiiiiiiiiiiiin!!!" Sasha cried over me, bawling her eyes out on my chest. I was able to move my hand enough to place it on her back, patting it gently. I was still sore, but it was for a good reason. I looked around at everyone else in the room. All of my classmates were here: Reiner, Bertholdt, Christa, Ymir, Connie, Eren, Mikasa, and obviously Jean and Sasha. Hanji was also here. She looked beyond depressed. Was it all because of my leg?

"Sasha, he needs space to heal," Connie mumbled as he pulled her away. She tried to pull out of his grip, but fell limp and started crying more. She never gave full strength when Connie was holding her back, I wonder why.

"You all didn't have to come," I mumbled, trying to sit up. Jean walked over and helped me, propping a pillow against my back. "Thank you, Jean."

"We know, but we couldn't fight without knowing how you were holding up," Reiner spoke up. He walked over and sat on the couch. He was always that older brother figure to everyone. Bertholdt nodded and sat next to him, a nervous look in his eye. But he always looked like that, so it was nothing new. Christa sat at the foot of the bed, Ymir standing beside her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't have helped more in the cart... You lost a lot of blood because I didn't stop the wound as fast as I should have."

I looked over at her and blushed a little, she really was an angel. "You did the best you could, thank you for that!"

She smiled gently, Ymir just glared at me. Connie knelt down next to Sasha to help support her emotionally, whispering things into her ear and pushing her hair back. I guess I understood why she held back near him now. Eren walked over and sat in the chair by the bed, Mikasa right beside him.

"Armin, I'm so sorry... I should have protected you but I-"

"Eren, stop. I'm okay, I'm not dead. There was nothing we could've done to prevent this. But hey, we both know what it's like to be eaten by a titan now," I forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood. I had the feeling he knew I was forcing it, but smiled gently anyways. Mikasa gently took my hand and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She started to say something but I cut her off.

"Don't worry about it Mikasa, I understand why you did what you did. You have nothing to be sorry for." She looked shocked but slowly nodded. I could tell the fact that I nearly died, and she did nothing to help was weighing on her. It isn't like she had much of a choice. She was closer to Eren, and Eren was vital to everything going on, he had to be protected. Hanji walked over to me and took off her glasses.

"Armin, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have insisted you go along with Eren. In the hype, I forgot about your complete safety if the worst was to happen, and it did. You lost your leg because of my inconsideration, and I am so sorry." She knelt down and looked at me. I stared at her then forced another small smile.

"I still have my head, stop acting like I'm dead. All of you, I'm okay, really. One missing leg isn't going to stop me from helping. It's going to set me back a lot but... I still have my brain, that'll come in handy." I glanced at Jean, who was looking right at me. He averted his gaze right after we made eye contact, weird.

After a while of talking, an order came through saying Levi wanted to talk to Hanji, so she got up and left after apologizing nonstop. Everyone else left on their own time until it was only me and Jean.

"You don't have to stay here, you can go with the others you know."

"I know, but I told Levi and Erwin I'd stay here until you're in decent condition to move around."

I waved my arm in the air then winced. I wasn't as bad as I was this morning, but the soreness was still there. "I can move, a little."

He sighed and sat in the chair by the bed. "You know what I mean. You're going to need crutches, and help learning how to use them. So I offered to be here."

"You've really changed... was it all because of Marco?"

"What do you mean?"

"When we first met at training, you wanted to join the Military Police, nothing was going to change your mind. You were always cold and distant, never wanting to talk. But after the battle to take back Trost, and after what happened to Marco... you were determined to join the Survey Corps, and you've become much stronger. You even care for the other soldiers now."

He stared at me for a while then shrugged. "Forced to grow up I guess. Could you imagine if I did join the Military Police though? I'd have to experience Annie every day until she cracked, and I wouldn't have seen all the things I've seen, as creepy as they are."

"That can't be the only reason. Are you here for Mikasa?"

"W-what!? Of course not! I'm here for myself!"

I laughed a little, "I feel like you're lying to me, but it's fine. You don't have to say." I closed my eyes and smiled gently. A real smile.

There was silence for a minute before Jean spoke up. "It's because I was worried about you and the others. You still seemed weak, but you were determined to join the Survey Corps. Sasha was the same, yet she seemed way less determined then you. And all the others too, I was worried about what was going to happen if I wasn't here to at least help you all."

I opened my eyes a little to look at him, gently reaching for his hand. "I'm glad you stayed with us. It's harder, and it's stressful to be here, we lose limbs and dreams and soldiers. But... we grow closer each battle. I always thought you were cool. Too cool to even talk to me. I realized that you're really a nice guy, that you don't mean any harm."

Jean looked at our hands then at me. "Armin? I'm sorry..."

"What for? For the leg? I told you, it's fine."

"No, for this," he leaned in and gently kissed me before I had the time to respond. I opened my eyes in shock as he pulled away, blushing bright red. "Sorry... I should go get your food now." He stood up to leave

I stared at him then went bright red, quickly grabbing onto his shirt. "Jean, wait! What was that for??"

He stared at the ground then sighed. "Armin, I think I like you. The more we've been here together, the more I realized how much I wanted to be around you and make sure you are okay. It's weird, I know but I-"

"I think I feel the same way."

"I- what?" He turned to look at me, shocked at what I said.

"I think I like you too. My time spent around you is better than when I'm not. I always pushed it off as me wanting to be your friend, getting to know you and who you are. But now that you said all of that I realize maybe... there was a different reason."

He managed to go even more red then sat back down in the chair. "Does this make us... a thing?"

"Do you want it to?"

"Kind of."

"Then yeah, it does." I smiled gently at him, which caused him to smile awkwardly back. Who would have thought all it took was my leg to get bit off to cause Jean to finally say something.