Disclaimer: I don't own Attack on Titan or its characters. However, I do own the plot.
I have a thousand things to say to you, and a thousand reasons not to...
-Unknown
Naïve is the first word that comes to her mind, followed by idiot.
Who does he think he is?
As she stirs her watery soup with a spoon, she fights the urge to roll her eyes as he talks about killing the Titans one by one, about freedom, about breaking down the walls.
She pushes away her bowl forcefully and stands up abruptly.
Poor boy thinks he can change the world, she thinks as she walks past the table he's sitting behind.
He's just an idiot like everyone else. Annie's sure about that.
O-O-O
With a swift movement, Annie throws Eren to the ground hard and shakes her head.
The boy struggles to stand up, muttering about something under his breath.
''You're pitifully weak, Yeager.''
He looks at her as soon as the last word leaves her mouth.
They look at each other for some moments.
''But I'll become strong enough someday,'' He defends himself, crossing his arms.
''Strong enough to do what?''
She has no idea why she asked that. She turns to leave. He can find another person to spar with, she thinks.
''Strong enough to get back our freedom.''
Our freedom.
Our.
Annie becomes sure that he's terribly naïve. There's no we, no our.
They're different people with different birthplaces, different purposes, different pasts, and different beliefs.
He's here to survive. She's here to destroy.
She knows she has to stay away from him.
O-O-O
Later, Annie realizes that they're not entirely different.
Each of them has a goal to attain.
Both stubbornly want to survive.
Both want to keep on living in this world even though they know that the world is ruthless.
Both want to prove to the world that they're strong and unstoppable.
But Annie knows that his side has no chance to survive and for a moment she almost feels bad for them.
It's not fair, but nothing is.
O-O-O
Annie terribly misses home and the only thing that reminds her of her home and father is her fighting style.
It reminds her of hours and hours of fighting to become strong, of tired legs, of the proud look on her father's face, of a little girl who doesn't know anything about childhood, of a kid who wants to be a warrior.
She agrees to teach Eren how to spar so she has an excuse to think about home.
O-O-O
She won't admit it, but Eren's really impressed her.
The more he hits the ground, the faster he stands up.
The more he fails to punch or kick her, the more he tries to become agile.
The more people poke fun at him, the more stubborn he becomes to prove them wrong.
O-O-O
Eren's trying to become strong to reach his goal, to get back his freedom, to fight until the end.
And Annie wonders if he ever loses this fire of hope and determination he possesses.
O-O-O
He makes her smile someday.
He sees her smile and grins back at her.
Annie realizes she hasn't smiled for ages and wonders why he makes her to.
O-O-O
The boy's trouble, but she doesn't mind it.
He spends more time with her, but they don't spar. They just walk around.
He talks. She listens.
He grins widely at her and she rolls her eyes at him.
But inwardly she smiles back at him and he knows because he notices the way her eyes brightens slightly.
And that's enough for him.
O-O-O
She has no idea when it happens, but suddenly, between walking with him and listening wordlessly to him and inward smiles, Eren Yeager becomes an important person in her life.
O-O-O
The years go by fast and Annie finds herself wishing that time could be stopped.
She hates future because she knows, she knows that one day he'll look at her in shock, hurt visible in his eyes, asking her—pleading to her to deny her identity.
She knows that one day they'll stand in front of each other as enemies.
She knows one day they'll fight each other.
She despises the world and future.
O-O-O
He talks to her every night before dinner.
They walk around in the yard and he talks to her about his goal, about the world outside, about the ocean, about the adventures they'll embark on together, about peace and about a world without Titans.
For the first time in her life, Annie wishes she wasn't who she was.
O-O-O
''Annie, what do you think will happen in the future?''
''I have no idea.''
She doesn't. Really, she doesn't. Future is an enigma which will never be solved.
''What do you think will happen to us?''
She stops peeling the potatoes abruptly.
We'll drift apart.
We'll become enemies.
We'll fight each other.
I'll end up hurting you.
You'll hate me for the rest of your life.
We'll not be we anymore.
''I don't know,'' she lies.
O-O-O
Sometimes, Annie hates herself for being so selfish.
She hates herself for letting him believe in who she pretends to be. For letting him become closer and closer to her.
He's naïve. She's sinful.
O-O-O
How?
She thinks with horror and disbelief as she stares down at him.
Why is he a Titan shifter?
How can he be one?
Dammit, why him?
Never has she been more afraid of future and angrier at fate.
Why is it happening to us?
She clenches her fists.
She is sure that fate and world are sneering at her.
O-O-O
She stares at the letter that Eren has written for her. She doesn't open it. She knows that if she opens and reads it, she'll absolutely refuse to carry out her mission.
She doesn't want to let her father down.
She doesn't want to betray Eren either.
She doesn't crumple the letter. She hides it under her pillow.
O-O-O
She finally makes her mind.
She'll carry out her mission, end it, and run back home.
She doesn't think about Eren. She wants to prevent nothing has happened. She lets her demons take over her as she transforms into Female Titan.
Hello, old friend, let's end it and run home, ok?
O-O-O
She runs as fast as she can. Now that she has Eren all she has to do is run to home, to her father.
''We'll see the ocean together.''
Her eyes widen.
Not now.
''Once we destroy the Titans, we're free.''
She closes her eyes.
''There's a world outside ready to welcome us, Annie!''
The world outside is darker than the dark.
''We can explore the world together if you want.''
She wants to yell and shout.
''What do you think will happen to us?''
She slows down.
As she predicted, they has fallen apart. She's not surprised. She's sullen.
O-O-O
Naïve is the first word that comes to her mind, followed by idiot.
She's tired. She just wants to go home.
A single tear runs down her cheek as she leans back against a tree.
O-O-O
She wants to laugh hysterically.
Armin has just called her a good person.
She's not good. She's sinful.
She's killed many people. And yet she doesn't care much.
She's misled Eren. And this fact is killing her inside.
O-O-O
She closes her eyes and lets herself sleep as she encloses herself inside a crystal. She's tired, so mush tired.
She doesn't have enough strength to tell him that she's sorry for everything.
And if she could, she's sure he wouldn't believe her.
And it hurts her.
O-O-O
She dreams of a boy with green eyes and a girl with blue eyes who are laughing and walking by the shore.
She dreams of a boy and a girl who are happy and carefree.
She dreams of what if's and what could've been's.
The End
This's probably the strangest thing I've written so far and also I decided to use present tense to see how it works!
Anyway, thank you for reading and please tell me your opinion about this one-shot. Since this writing style and tense is new to me, I like to hear—read!—your feedbacks.
By the way, do you follow manga?Everything's so unpredictable, really!
-Royal Blossom