AN: And I'm back! So here is Chapter Seven guys, and this chapter would mark the end of Part I of Temporary Bliss. The next Chapter, the eighth one, would be the beginning of Part II, wherein the narrative would diverge from the manga and anime. As you have noticed, the previous chapters so far have conformed to the original AoT story (except for the flashbacks I created). Chapter Eight and the next ones would not be the same; they would only be loosely based on Isayama's story. Anyway, you'd know it when you see it. Hahaha.
Song inspiration for this one -- "It Ain't Me" by Kygo feat. Selena Gomez. I am not a big fan of EDM, but this song the MV for this is just too good that I had to dedicate a chapter to it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan. I hoped so, but no such luck.
Chapter Seven
They covered Annie's crystal with a black cloth. The Survey Corps tied ropes around the solid rock, adjusting it inside a cart. Finally secured, they hauled Annie back to the MP Headquarters where she would be held until the time that her fate had been decided.
Armin watched until the cart disappeared around a bend. He knew that another court trial would be in order, one that would decide whether or not the Survey Corps would gain custody over the crystal. He wasn't worried; he trusted Commander Erwin and Lance Corporal Levi.
He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Squad Leader Hange standing next to him.
"And there she goes," she said wistfully. Hange smiled at him. "By the way, good job, Armin."
Good job at what? Leading the girl he cared about to her bitter end? Her words felt like a slap to his face, but knowing that she meant no harm, he simply nodded.
"I was just doing my duty." that was the most honest answer he could give her. She raised her eyebrows at him.
"I just wish she would bust out of that crystal, though. We need answers."
"I do, too," he said, and Hange was oblivious to the real meaning behind his answer.
"Arlert, what do you think you're doing?" shouted Keith Shadis, who galloped next to the running cadets on his brown horse.
Armin wiped his eyes. The hoods they gave them were not enough to block out the rain from pouring on their faces. He felt his eyes sting from the unending stream of liquid, and he can't really do much to wipe them -- his sleeves were all soaked, too.
The 104th were ordered to run laps around the nearby forest, and Armin was lagging behind the rest of the group. They had been going at it for hours now, and his strength was waning. He tried to ignore the stitch on his side and focus on the task at hand, since the last time they did this exercise, Reiner had helped him; he did not want to rely on him, or anyone else, again.
As Shadis finally moved on to the front of the pack, Armin can't help but to bend over and catch his breath. This is torture. He looked up, closing his eyes and feeling the rain on his face. I can't stop now. Not when I had already reached the second stage of training.
With newfound determination, Armin picked up his pace. He was definitely last -- he couldn't see his comrades anymore. Shaking his head, he ran faster, hoping he could catch up with them. As he turned a bend, though, something caught his eye. Someone was leaning against a tree, and he knew those pale blond locks all too well.
"Annie," he said. He was right -- the person's hood fell off to reveal the face of Annie Leonhardt.
She nodded to his pack. "I was starting to think you'd never come."
"You waited for me?"
"Kind of."
He was confused. "Why would you do that?"
She shrugged. "Because I want to."
Armin shook his head, laughing softly. If he learned something about Annie, it was that when she decided upon something, she would go through with it no matter what. It made him admire her even more, although what she did now would definitely have some consequences.
"You do know that this has some bearing on the final rankings, right?" he asked. He knew how much she wanted to be a part of the Military Police, but her waiting for him wouldn't help her in the least.
She shrugged. "I know."
"I thought your goal was to make it to the top ten."
"It is."
"Then why did you stay behind, then? You could be first if you tried!"
She didn't reply. Annie adjusted her backpack and put the hood over her head. She turned forward, gazing on the footsteps of the other cadets left on the murky ground. Not for the first time, Armin wondered about what was going on in her head.
"Come on, we can still catch up," she said quietly.
Armin nodded. The two of them ran after their friends, but Armin knew that Annie was holding back. She could reach the others in record time if she hadn't been trying to keep up with him.
"Annie," he said, when he saw her deliberately slowing down. "You could go on ahead."
"What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine with this pace."
"Annie."
She looked at him, raising her eyebrows on his tone. He was glad that she waited for him, he really was, but he also did not want to pull her down. She could do so many great things, and he knew nothing should hold her back. He was way beyond ecstatic to know that she was willing to run with him even if it meant being last, but he also needed to remind her of her original goal.
"Annie," he said. He stopped, grabbing her arm. "Let's make a bet."
"Seriously, Armin? Right now?" she asked, exasperated.
He nodded.
"Fine," Annie sighed, impatient. "What is it?"
"If I get to the camp first, you will have no choice but to not help me in any future task, okay?"
"What?"
"No more waiting, and anything else. You will try your best to win something if you knew you could -- like finishing first in the running task today."
Annie snorted. "And what makes you think I have plans of doing this again? Did it ever cross your mind that maybe this is just a one time thing? That maybe I waited for you now, but in the next training I'll completely ignore you?"
Armin thought about that. He considered her statement, thinking it over. Would she? With Annie, it was hard to tell. Still, he was willing to bet all his books that Annie was bluffing. Her waiting for him now was proof enough for that --Annie never waited for anyone.
"Then you wouldn't have any problems with my proposition, then. When you think about it, what you said and what the deal is about is practically the same." said Armin.
He knew he had her then. Annie's face turned a slight shade of pink, and she huffed. So logic rules all, in the end. Before Armin could so much as smile, Annie started to run.
"Get ready to lose, Arlert!"
When Armin had finally reached camp, all muddy and wet, the cadets were already gathered around a fire and wearing dry clothes.
"Finally," said Eren. He walked over to him and handed him a towel and a fresh change of clothes. "Here."
Once Armin had taken a shower (he was, by this time, sick of more water) and changed, he felt slightly better. As he stepped into the room where the other cadets were gathered, his eyes searched for Annie. He saw her sitting next to Mina, wearing her signature hoodie, and she looked up to shoot him a smug smirk. He shrugged and smiled, and took his seat next to his friends.
"Hey, Armin, we thought you died," said Ymir, patting him on the back. "I bet my dinner on Christa that you'd be found dead by tomorrow, so you being here kind of ruined my chances."
Armin smiled at her. "My bad. Maybe next time, Ymir."
"What held you up, anyway?" asked Mikasa.
"Nothing," he replied. "You know I'm a lousy runner."
"Annie came in third to the last," said Marco in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Oh," said Armin, his eyes glancing over to where she was. "Who was second to the last, then?"
"Daz," answered Eren.
The other laughed good-naturedly on the look on Daz's face.
"Hey guys!" said Sasha. Connie followed behind her. "Look what we found!"
She held up an empty liquor bottle for all of them to see. Grinning, she sat down and looked around all of them.
"We thought that since we rarely get to be all together in one place, we should take the chance to know more about each other," said Connie. "I mean, it's been one year, but all I know about Ymir is that she's a freckled jerk."
"Thanks, Connie."
"Anyway, let's play!"
"Everyone should join, then," suggested Christa. "It would be fun."
"Okay, okay, everyone, gather 'round!" announced Jean.
Armin was surprised when Annie flopped down next to him. He knew she did not like these kind of activities. When he raised his eyebrows, all she said was, "Mina forced me."
He laughed, and he turned his attention back to Sasha. The cadets had formed a circle. Sasha smiled as she explained the game's mechanics.
"It's simple. We all just have to answer a question -- what's your favourite food or something like that." she said. "The bottle chooses who gets to ask the question."
She spun it, and its nose stopped in Christa's direction. "Ask away."
Christa put a finger to her chin, thinking. "What's your favorite color?"
"Red."
"Gray."
"Yellow."
"Yellow."
"Eren's eyes."
"Mikasa, that's not a color," said Eren irritably.
"Yes, it is. It's dark green." she replied.
"Well I'd say that my favorite color is Christa's eyes, then." said Reiner, grinning.
"Back off, muscle man," warned Ymir.
"Okay, this is ridiculous," said Jean. He spun the bottle again, and it pointed on Mina.
"Hmm," she said. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "What's the best gift you ever received?"
"Me first!" said Sasha. "Bread."
"Why am I not surprised?" muttered Ymir.
"My mom once gave me a handkerchief she sewed," answered Thomas.
"Hannah's love, of course," said Franz, as Hannah blushed beside him. The cadets made gagging noises.
"Your turn Armin."
"It's an old straw hat my grandfather gave me," he replied.
"Not your book?" asked Berthold, surprised.
"No. I love it, but that hat was the last thing my grandfather gave me before he left. You know -- to fight the Titans."
"Sorry," said Connie.
Armin smiled to make them know it was okay. "It's fine."
"How about you, Annie?" asked Mina, turning to her friend.
Annie replied in her usual emotionless tone: "A flower."
The cadets looked interested. It was unusual to have Annie participate in one of their games, but it was more unusual for her to answer something so uncharacteristic. Annie and a flower? It did not make sense.
It seemed like only Mina was the only one not surprised by her answer. Armin, although he had an idea of what flower she was pertaining to, was surprised that it meant that much to her.
"Who gave it to you?" asked Hannah, excited.
Annie simply smiled, which gave them the creeps.
"Wait a second," said Eren, a thoughtful look on his face. "I think I saw Armin --"
Annie silenced him with a glare, while Armin looked mortified. Eren shut up, realizing his mistake. He gave his best friend an apologetic smile. Marco coughed, uncomfortable.
"Ho-ho," said Ymir, smiling slyly. "That is so sweet of you, Armin. Don't you think so, Annie?"
Armin's face was pink in the firelight. Thanks to Eren's big mouth, the cadets were now looking at him and Annie with knowing smiles. He was so embarrassed, he can't even look at her.
"It was nothing special. I just --" he started to explain, but Annie cut him off by answering Ymir's question.
"It is sweet," she said, and he was surprised to see her smirking. "Maybe you should take notes from Armin, Ymir. The way I see it, your moves on Christa are getting a little rusty. Reiner's going to surpass you if you don't amp up your game."
"Ooh," said Sasha, turning to the freckled girl. "She got you there."
The cadets laughed.
Ymir frowned. "Whatever, Leonhardt."
The game continued, but Armin was too distracted to focus on the questions. He risked a look on Annie and found her staring at the fire, a small smile on her face. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned, meeting his gaze.
"Best gift, huh," he said quietly, so only they could hear.
"Don't let it get over your head, Arlert." she said, but he could see the corners of her mouth lifting.
"Why is it so special?"
"Because I love flowers."
"Ha-ha. Very funny."
"What do you want me to say, because it came from you? It has nothing to do with you, just so you know."
"So it ain't me." he said.
"Right," she muttered, and it was funny to see her being so defensive.
They stayed like that all night, laughing and talking. Armin felt content. He was spending precious time with his friends, and Annie was sitting next to him, apparently feeling the same way. He couldn't think of a better way to end a grueling day of training.
As Armin made his way to the room where Eren was resting, he can't help but think about how happy he was that night. He closed his eyes, replaying that scene on his head over and over again.
He imagined Annie waking up in her cell someday, lost and defeated. People would definitely be there when she opens her eyes again, and she would search for familiar faces. Someone would explain everything to her -- perhaps the Commander, or Hange.
All he knew was that it wouldn't be him.
