(A/N: Hey guys. Before i start off, i need to confess some things to you all. First, i owe each of you all an apology for not uploading at all these past couple years 😟. I've been suffering from terrible depression for some time now, and it's been effecting my creativity lately.
I know it's no real excuse for staying off of fanfiction for so long, but i figured i should atleast owe you all an explanation as to why I've gone ghost. I've been getting help, and working on myself so i can heal and hopefully, one day find peace in drawing and writing like i used to for coming back to my stories for those who still patiently wait for updates.
And thank you Bigmata, for that encouraging review on black widow bakery😌. I know it's been a while since you wrote it, but it really perked me up when i read it this morning. It really makes me happy knowing there are people who still like my work. Even if half of them consist of Armin being a murderous crossdressing thot xD so without further ado, i FINALLY present the next chapter of the fanfic that started it all: Her Pretty Marionette.)
Chapter 21 Toybox of tears
Armin sat in the bathtub trembling. Apparently when he had that night terror in the living room, he had also ended up soiling himself too in the process. Since he was incapable of drowning, he laid down in the murky water and curled up quietly shivering to himself. He felt so cold despite the being in hot water.
"Armin...?" Annie said quietly stepping into the bathroom.
"I'm in here..." A quiet voice murmured in reply, making the blonde girl's heart drop.
The female walked straight towards the bathtub and sat down next to it the morose doll. "Dork..I'm really worried about you...frightened for you now actually..." she admitted. "Please tell me what's happening, I want to know what's wrong "
"No...it's too disgusting..." The boy choked out, "...I'm too disgusting!" He caught Annie completely off guard. Armin's beauty was his pride and joy so to hear him say this was unexpected. "W-what do you mean disgusting!?" Annie demanded. "Armin you're beauti-"
"Don't you dare say that word!" Armin snapped. Annie jumped in surprise when he shot up in the tub to glare daggers at her. "Never EVER say that fucking word!" he seethed through gritted teeth. Annie just stood there frozen looking at her doll in shock. In all her years of living with him, she never heard Armin raise his voice to her! Let alone cuss at her like that!
"What is your problem!?" Annie shot back. "Ever since I dug you back up you've been acting really weird! Why won't you let me in Armin!? Where is all this even coming from!?" she 's heart sank when he noticed the dejected look on her face.
God how he wanted to punch himself for yelling at her just now.
He didn't mean to lash out at his Annie. She's the last person he ever wants to yell at. "What am snapping at her for? It's not her fault this is happening to me..." he thought, looking down in shame."I-I'm sorry.." He whimpered pulling his knees up to his face. "I'm, so so sorry...!" He snivelled.
"it's okay dork but please...just tell me what's wrong "Annie said in a calming tone. And so, Armin proceeded to tell her everything. Annie just sat there listening quietly and intently. The Nightmares, The memories, his mother,The mansion, the maid, everything. By the time he was finished, Annie was lacrymose with her mouth agape. She didn't know what to say.
"A-Armin..."
"So now you know why I look so human.." Armin whispered brokenly, "It's because...I used to be one."
This really explained everything. Annie always knew that her doll was special, and maybe in the back of her mind she knew that he was more than just a magical doll, but she never expected this."You're mother did this to you..?" she asked horrified.
"uh huh...You...must think I'm gross now..." Armin sniffled woefully."right...?" For the first time ever Armin couldn't even see himself as attractive anymore. Just a hideous freak of nature!
"No Armin!" Annie said hugging him close now. "You're not gross! Far from it!" "...But I'm dead..." Armin mumbled. "Death becomes you" Annie replied matter-of-factly."..I'm probably old.." Armin replied again."you're an antique " Annie corrected stubbornly."i'm a freak!" He sobbed.
Annie felt horrible for her doll. Petting her doll's hair, she held him and eventually found her voice again. "Armin? Armin Look at me," she said sniffled and looked into her eyes.
"Look dork...what you are doesn't make me love you any less. I don't care if you're a human, and I don't care if you're a doll. I don't love you because of what you are Armin, I love you because of who you are" she said."Annie.." Armin blushed.
"No matter what Armin, you will always be my beloved little dork" she said rubbing his golden locks. Lachrymose tears were slowly replaced with tears of relief as he heard this. "Besides dork, don't you remember?" She then held up her pinky and locked it with Armin's wet one."together forever" she vowed firmly."no matter what" she added.
If Armin had a pulse it would be beating right now. His Annie still treasured him despite his gruesome origin. Feeling a feeble smile carve it's way onto his face, he clung his pinky tighter around his owner's. "Together forever.." He repeated. If there was any sort of good that ever came out of this whole thing it was Annie.
He may not have had a very fortunate upbringing before being found by Annie, but he was certain of one thing. Had he not become a doll he probably would have never met her in the first place. He would have never known what it felt like to be loved and truly accepted by someone.
Sitting up fully on his knees now, he lifted his head up some more and kissed her. His eyes fluttered closed in comfort as Annie cradled him and kissed him back. As disturbed as he still was, he felt a lot more better in his owner's arms and traumatized, but safe with her nonetheless.
So long as he could remain in this lovely girl's possession as her precious doll then that was good enough for him. He sighed in content as she pulled away. "You know what you need dork?" she asked."cookie dough ice cream with chocolate chips,oreos, and hot fudge on top..?" He asked.
"Yes dork" she smiled pinching his cheek."with hot fudge on top" she reiterated. Armin seemed to brighten up a little at this and nodded. He was starting to feel hungry, and he could use the food. "I'll make it and bring it to you okay?" She smiled getting up."you just keep your shota barbie butt right there" she said."Thank you Annie.." Armin said smiling sadly.
-At the Jeager Residence-
Eren couldn't stop thinking about the boy Erica had told him about earlier. The name alone was far too much of a coincidence to him. Wanting to satisfy his curiosity once and for all, he knocked on his daughter's door again. "Erica? I know it's still a bit late but can we talk cupcake?" He asked.
An annoyed low groan could be heard from within the room."nnnghhh daddy..it's 12:30 in the morning.." Erica groaned opening the door. Her hair was all matted from sleeping wildly and there was drool on the side of her face. "Yikes" Eren thought to himself.
"Sorry honey, i know it's late but i couldn't stop thinking about what you said about Annie..that boyfriend of hers you were talking about? Does he look anything like this..?" He asked holding up the black and white photo to Erica. Erica simply rubbed her eyes as she stared dumbfounded at the photograph. One person she could recognize as a younger version of her dad.
Her eyes widened however, once her gaze settled on the other boy in the picture."OH MY GOD!" she shrieked making Eren jump in alarm. "W-what's wrong?" Eren gulped. "I know him!" Erica exclaimed. She snatched the picture and held it up closer to her face. There was Armin as clear as day, frozen in black and white with a cheerful look on his face blowing kisses into the camera.
"THAT'S HIM!" Erica declared. "THAT'S ANNIE'S DOLL!" she said pointing at Armin. A shocked look appeared on Eren's face when he heard those words."A-Armin's alive..?"" The man asked in disbelief. Erica wasn't sure what was happening here but she knew that they both had to see Annie right away!
"Daddy come on! We have to see Annie NOW!" The brunette declared. Eren yelped as he was dragged out of the house in his tank top and boxer shorts."RIGHT NOW!?" Eren yelped."YES RIGHT NOW! SHE NEEDS TO SEE THIS!" Erica said wiping the drool off of her face.
Eren blushed awkwardly as female neighbors whistled and honked at him. "Erica please! I'm stark naked for Christ's sake!" The man squeaked. "Daddy, you're handsome and you look thirty so you have nothing to worry about!"Erica chirped. This was important information that needed to be shared!
Plus she also wanted to make amends with Annie and possibly start over with Armin. She just hoped that this was enough..
-back with our doll-
Armin was now out of the tub in Annie's room. He was barefoot and shirtless wearing nothing but some baggy pastel blue pajama bottoms with pink lollipops on them and pink bunny slippers. He continued to tell Annie about his former life as a human. There were plenty things that he still couldn't remember, but he shared with her the few things that he did recall. It was making him feel a bit better actually.
"So you used to be a rich boy?" The girl asked taking a spoonful of ice cream."mmhmm" the doll nodded." My mother was a very talented dollmaker so that's what kept us so wealthy" he explained."but it still didn't provide a happy lifestyle..when i was human...she wouldn't let me do anything. Wouldn't let me go to school, eat candy,look at girls,or make friends.." He said sadly.
"That's terrible!" The girl thought eating her ice cream."so you never even socialized or went anywhere with friends?" She asked. "Uh believed I would be dirtied if I played with other children" he replied."she didn't want boys playing with me cause they were considered gross and germy, and she didn't want me playing with girls either cause in her mind they would all just grow up to be dirty harlots.." he frowned.
It was true, Armin realized that in many ways he had a better life as Annie's doll then as a human. He curled up in his owner's lap and sighed in melancholy."you want to know what the crazy thing though? The more i remember her, the more i feel like she never really viewed me as her son. only as the perfect doll for her to keep.." he murmured.
" what a horrible mother" Annie frowned."i wonder where she is now.." she wondered out loud. An odd chill tickled Armin's spine as he thought about it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could faintly hear the muffled sounds of what sounded like a woman screeching in agony and a roaring chainsaw.
"Armin please stop..!"
"It's quite cold isn't it mother..?"
"ARMIN PLLLEEEEAAAAASSSSSE!"
"let's warm us up..?"
Armin shot his hands up to his ears in fright and whimpered ."make it stop..make it stop!" He shrieked. Annie's eyes widened in alarm as she noticed the male slowly slip back into toddler mode. "Armin what's wrong!?" She asked in concern. "Scary voices in my head..! Make it stop!" He screamed in his baby voice. "Shit!" The girl thought in dismay.
Thinking fast so he wouldn't suffer another breakdown, she grabbed him and kissed him on the lips again making him go quiet. The doll froze with a blush covering his entire face. Pulling away, she watched him go into a relaxed daze. "Shhh you're okay dork, it's okay.." She said comforting him."I didn't mean to scare you. no more bad things are going to get you okay..?"
"No more..?" Armin asked.
"No more" Annie reiterated.
She watched as Armin slowly eased back into his proper state of mind and calm down. "i won't let any harm ever come to you dork, understand? Not if i can help it" she assured him. Armin smiled softly and purred nuzzling his face in her cleavage."okay.." He replied in a muffled voice.
She let him stay perched in her lap, and began brushing his hair to help take his mind off of current events. And it was actually working,until the doorbell rang. A muffled growl could be heard from the doll as it rang again. "Just ignore it, it's probably some crackhead" Annie sighed.
"Sweetums open up! It's me Erica!" The person spoke. Annie went silent, while Armin scowled. "Look i know I'm the last person you want to see right now, but can we please talk? There's something you really need to see!" Erica asked hopefully through the door. "Hell no she can't talk!" The boy thought growling. He was not in the mood for Annie to have visitors right now, especially this pink bitch. Getting up, he went to go answer the door himself.
"Armin wait!" She called after him. Armin ignored this plea and unlocked the door, cracking it a bit. Erica squirmed nervously as the doll scanned her up and down with a glowing eyeball. She shivered as she watched the doll's eyes ominously turn from sapphire to ruby in the doorway.
"what do you want..?" Armin demanded. Eren, who was hidden in the bushes like Erica ordered him to, clamped his hand over his mouth. That voice..! He knew that voice..! Daring to peek his head out of the bushes, he gasped with tears welling up in his eyes. "ARMIN!" He screamed happily. Armin and Erica jumped in surprise as the man popped out of the bushes completely.
Armin yelped in alarm as he was suddenly scooped up into a bear hug. "What the hell!?" He shrieked. "Armin...it's really you..." Eren cried smiling .Hearing her doll's outburst, Annie ran to the scene. She stood there in confusion as she watched Erica's father hug Armin tightly with Armin squirming in his grasp. "What's going on..?" She asked dumbfounded.
Eren was about to explain himself until he was kicked in the nuts by Armin. "ACK!" Eren yelled dropping Armin. "Daddy!" Erica squeaked rushing over to him. The doll quickly scrambled away from the older man, and hid behind Annie's back. He peered over her shoulder and shot the strange brunette and his daughter a nasty look.
"Owww ..Armin..you really don't recognize me..?" Eren whimpered in pain. Armin's look of suspicion slowly turned to one of curiosity as he approached the man. Kneeling down to where Eren was crumpled, he grabbed his face and stared at it for a moment.
Armin looked at Eren for a while. He took in the faint signs of age on his face, and other features, until signs of recognition slowly made its way onto Armin's face. "E-Eren..?" Armin asked in disbelief. Eren nodded eagerly with tears streaming down his face."yeah buddy it's me! Remember?" He asked hopefully.
Armin's eyes slowly bagan to sparkle and he grinned jumping in the older man's arms. "Eren!" He squealed hugging him. If Annie and Erica weren't confused before, they were definitely confused now. "Armin you know Eren?" Annie blinked. Erica looked at Eren wanting an explanation as well. This was getting all too strange.
Eren wiped the tears from his face, and cleared his throat and while holding Armin. "Armin was my doll." He said.
"WHAT!? Annie and Erica shrieked in unison.
(A/N: see you next time in chapter 22!)