Great to hear from you GuineapigsOP, let me know what you think this time. I've decided to update whenever I can, depending on what I'm up to during the day. Training Arc will be longer than I thought, hopefully that's ok with you guys. As I said early on in the story, Divergence from canon during the Female Titan arc and during the Stohess Raid. No crystal ending for this story, just letting that be clear. James with Annie progression, as well as his interaction with the rest of the recruits. Spoilers, though it's been ongoing for years with the actual manga. I'm excited for season 2 so far, but wish there would be more episodes soon. So, Let us begin. You know the drill.
Training-Acceptance
It had been about a week since combat training began, and just like on the first day, James paired with Annie. He'd been enjoying himself for these past few days, and Annie seemed to as well. She talked to him more outside of training, and even sat with him a few times during lunch. She still sat near Bert and Reiner at dinner, but he would catch her looking at him sometimes.
He enjoyed sparing with her alot, and even more that she had opened up to him. She would actually talk about herself, even though she didn't say why she was here. Her motivation, as he put it, was something that must've been pretty personal, so he didn't push after the second time he asked. Him and Eren fought too, but Mikasa always hovered too damn close. Now while he somewhat respects the girl, she still annoyed the living shit out of him when Eren and he would go hard in fighting.
Today was one of those occasions, as Eren slammed on his back behind James. He'd flipped him when Eren foolishly charged in an attempt to faze James, who watched with amuesment. Mikasa glared at James as if he had done real damage, (which he didn't) when James had enough. "That's it, I'm done. He asks to learn, so let him already goddammit. Otherwise fight me yourself and be done with it." James spat at her.
She stood and much to Erens protest, took a fighting stance. James took his signature crouch, and waited for her to make the first move. Like his first fight with Annie, neither moved. In a moment of frustration, he charged while keeping his hands open. She went to evade, or so it seemed when she met him head on. Damn, the girls solid as rock. 'Good thing Im used to breaking rocks'. Getting over his moment of being knocked back, he swung his left hand in a attempt to hit her ribs.
They started trading blows, some of them quite hard but neither was willing to show pain. He went for a jab to the ribs, when She blocked again and hit him dead in the face, breaking his nose. Other cadets who stopped to watch gasped, including Annie, who looked downright murderous at the Euro-asian. James staggered back a moment, his vision turned red. Mikasa saw the change on his face, and was preparing to stop another hit, when he suddenly charged and he rammed his knee into her stomach, winding her. He then swiped her legs before pinning her arms behind her back, growling.
She cried out as he pushed the arm further back in a hold, but he kept twisting, his anger starting to control him. She didn't submit, but he was starting to see she was in pain. Realizing he'd lost control, he let go quickly. He got up shaking a little, before he helped Mikasa to her feet apologizing. Or tried to, as she kicked his legs out from under him and punched him again. The red tint returned, and he headbutted her without a second thought. she collapsed groaning. This time he rose with anger rolling off of him, and he offered her no hand. Just a look of disgust, before he turned and walked to the woods, snapping a small but thick tree limb that got in his way.
Annie watched as it all played out, and went to follow when Reiner put a hand on her shoulder. She went to shrug him off when Sasha did the same, this time Annie was surprised. She was about to smack her hand away when she spoke "Look, I know he's angry but he needs to be alone for a while. Today's not a good day for him. Trust me." Annie looked confused for a moment, and Reiner elaborated with a hollow voice, "It's the anniversary of the fall. He's not gonna be pleasant to be around."
Annie saw Bertholdt looking dead a bit, and understood what was going through his head. Hes even more quiet because he caused all this. Annie knew from their own talks, and even Sasha's conversations at times, that James had lost all his family the day Shinganshina fell to Ber- the Collasal Titan, his sister to the Armored Titan. She knew he was in pain, but felt it might help if she talked to him about it. He always seemed happy around her, maybe she could help.
Annie sighed, and accepted their advice for now, but she knew she couldn't leave him out there. She owed him that much, Reiner and Bert did too. She'd give him some time to cool off before she went to him.
James had walked to the waters edge of the lake near the camp. He stood there for a moment looking into it's calmness, before he collapsed on his knees, sobbing. "It's been 3 years...3 years since I failed you all. It's my fault, if I'd...if I'd..only been fast enough, if I'd only made sure she was through...you'd all be alive." He choked out. he hadn't spoken to anyone but Sasha and Annie about home with detail.
The others had asked, Eren in particular seemed like he was a bit curious, and after he told them, their looks pitied him. Reiner had held him in a semi hug, while Bert had clapped on the back. He appreciated their sympathy, but he didn't tell them the explicit details of what happened. He knew quite alot of them had lost family because of the Fall, even if they weren't from the same town as him. Bert and Reiner had both told him their village was raided by titans due to a late messenger.
James felt more guilt, wondering what town he'd missed when he journeyed to spread the word. He knew he wasn't alone in his pain, but he was alone in the fact that he could've saved his. He stared at the water again, it's quietness keeping him from yelling out. He sat there, silently for at least an hour. He could see the sun starting to sink below the horizon. Dinner would be starting soon, and Annie would be wondering where he was. Annie.
He'd come to learn quite a bit about her, liking her strong yet caring personality. Sure she seemed cold, but he could see she wasn'tthat way at heart. Yesterday, he'd actually made her laugh. It hadn't been intended, he'd been teased by Reiner about always training with her, when James had retorted with "You seem to train a lot with Bert, should I tell Krista and Ymir? They might be able to finally get some alone time without you stepping in".
She'd seen the embarressed look Reiner's face, and Bert had chuckled awkwardly while blushing. She couldn't hold herself together. It started out small, but grew to a normal laugh. To him, it was wonderful, so happy, so genuine. He actually stared at her like she just told him she had feelings for him. She noticed, and a small blush and smile made itself seen on her face.
He likes the way she smiled, her laugh, even her strong personality. She was the only person aside from Sasha who brought genuine happiness to his heart, not the every day joy of being surrounded by friends, comrades. Those two went a bit further in himself. Sasha was definitely family, but he wasn't sure what Annie was yet. He knew he had feelings for her, but he didn't know if they were returned.
He did know she was special, and so he had to keep himself together today. He knew his family wouldn't want him to do this to himself. They'd want him to move on, to grow from this, to become what he was at heart. A Warrior. He stood, and took a sharp rock for the lakeside, and cut his hand, watching it steam and heal, while repeating once more "I'm a Warrior, no matter what."
Annie had decided to go looking for James, she was starting to worry. It's been an hour now, and he still hasn't come back yet. She found a path that he seemed to follow, and arrived at the lake. He stood near the water, before he picked up a rock and cut himself. She was about to call out to him, when she saw his hand steaming and healing. In that moment, she knew 3 things. James was possibly a shifter, like her. She felt a moment of overwhelming joy, glad that they could possibly be together as equals, before it died for a moment.
She knew who he'd lost his family to, those very people were his friends. She saw the situation had just gotten even more complicated. But one last thing she began to feel: She didn't care. He was different, He'd made her smile, something she hadn't done in years She didn't feel that way back home but here, among those she was sent to infiltrate, she felt alive. A foolish hope came to mind, maybe it wouldn't turn out so bad. Maybe she could have him.
But with this cruel world that they lived in, she knew it wouldn't be so easy. Like everything, she would need to fight for it like James said. She had a mission, and now a purpose, even if they went against each other.
She waited a few minutes watching him, before she called out his name "James! C'mon, it's time for dinner." He turned and his expression went from calm to happy again, and to her it was worth it. He got near her, and as they walked, he asked her a simple but big question to her "Will you eat with me tonight? I could really use someone to talk to, it's just...not a good day for me".
He looked at her with a bit of hope in his eyes, and she knew she couldn't take that from him. With a small smile, she told him "Sure, as long as you want me to." He told her "Of course, it's You. How can I resist?" with a smile on his face, not a big one, but one that made her feel good. The mission could wait for now, and there were others for it. Right now, she just wants to be happy. And this person made her feel that way, anytime she was with him. That's all that mattered, she'd take it.
Part 2 of this chapter will be out later today, I just hit the word limit for this chapter.
