All 6 chapters happen in the same timeline so they are connected in a way, but do not follow each other directly.

Day 1: Strengths & Weaknesses

"One more time!"

Annie looked back over her shoulder and down at Eren where he lay sprawled on the ground. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Do you really want to get your sorry ass handed to you again?"

She watched as Eren clumsily scrambled to his feet, his eyes shining with fiery passion which Annie couldn't understand. "I will get it eventually," he grumbled under his breath, taking up a fighting stance, apparently all ready to go again.

Taking in his dishevelled appearance – messy hair, uniform dirty and crumpled from him being thrown to the ground again and again – Annie finally shook her head before turning around to face the boy properly. She continued looking at Eren impassively, a hand resting on her hip, while he only clenched his fists tighter. They stared at each other for a few tense momenets, expressionless blues to determined greens, until Annie sighed deeply. "First of all, your stance is all wrong."

Eren blinked a few times, obviously taken aback, and only succeeding in getting out a confused, "Huh?"

Annie rolled her eyes, walking over to stand in front of the taller boy. "Your stance. If you keep your legs this close to each other, I can just push you a bit and you'll fall on your ass."

Eren frowned at that, lowering his fists slightly, and glancing towards his feet. In that moment, Annie moved, graceful and fast, grabbing Eren's shoulder and kicking his feet from under him at the same time, sending him right back to the ground without much effort.

"Second of all, never let your guard down."

When she left the mess hall that same evening, tasting the fresh spring air, Annie thought to herself how she really didn't want to return to the girls quarters just yet. Going back there would mean people and girl talk and pretending she was alright and she just wasn't ready to deal with that.

She briefly considered just sitting right there on the steps for a while but the sound of conversation getting louder behind her made her take quick steps in the opposite direction of the dormitories and in to the darkness behind the main building. She just didn't want to see anyone. Not right now. Now when she could feel the sharp sting of guilt in her chest.

She didn't know why she was like this today. She could usually suppress – or pretend to suppress – the negative thoughts so well, so perfectly. Shielded by her poker-face and the distance she kept from everyone. But today...

Today she needed to be alone.

Maybe it was because of the training session with Eren that afternoon. Facing someone who was so dead set on fighting and revenge – a revenge against her no less...

She honestly didn't understand the boy. Why was he so ready to fight? So ready to offer himself to death? And most importantly... why did he make her feel like she wanted to run as far from him as she could and like she wanted to help him with his suicidal mission, both at the same time?

And the look in his eyes, the determination there, it scared her. It scared her and made all her insecurities and guilt and fear burst out and overwhelm her.

She hated him. Hated the emotions he caused within her.

Annie stopped abruptly in her tracks when she realized that she was breathing too fast and too shallow. Hyperventilating. She raised a hand to rub at her face in an effort to calm down but paused again when she felt something wet. Had she been crying without even realizing...?

"Damn it all," she cursed quietly. She wanted to scream and punch and kick something until it breaks or she falls over in exhaustion. She wanted to let it all out somehow. Didn't know how.

She took two, three deep breaths upon noticing her breathing was getting too fast again. This wasn't fair. She never asked for this life. She never asked for this power, this curse. This pain.

Just as she was about to punch the nearest wall in frustration, a soft sound came from somewhere further down in the darkness and she froze, all her senses immediately on high alert. But she couldn't see anything off and the only sound was one of her squad mates talking and laughing somewhere on the illuminated grounds in front of the dormitories.

She must have imagined it.

Before she could even finish the thought, there was another sound, now clearer and louder, coming from somewhere around the empty cardboard boxes piled up next to the back door leading to the kitchen, and Annie relaxed.

It was a quiet whine; a high-pitched, pathetic whine that made Annie's lips twitch slightly. She slowly and carefully walked around the pile, crouching down a bit away and reaching a hand out in an inviting gesture.

Nothing happened for a few moments but then, a little head popped out from a small opening at the bottom of the pile, sniffing at Annie's hand tentatively, then retreating a back a bit again. Annie only continued smiling gently, holding her position patiently until the tiny calico kitten came out from its hiding spot. Soon, it started to rub itself on Annie's hand, purring loudly all the while, and the girl felt all her anxiety and fear melt away. Picking the kitten up into her arms, she sat down on the ground with her back against the wall, uncaring she would get he clothes dirty. The kitten meowed quietly, peering up at Annie with it's wide, beautiful green eyes, as if asking what was wrong.

Annie shook her head a bit before giving it to the urge and slumping a bit, hiding her face in the kitten's fur, making it tap its little paw on Annie's cheek in an effort to comfort its new friend, making Annie let out a chuckle. "We're both just a little lost and alone, aren't we?"

The kitten only meowed in response.