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Tragedy in Stohess

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Eren ignored Mikasa's watchful gaze upon his hooded head as Armin finally arrived, Annie in tow. He knew he was in denial about her. If not, then he'd have to come to terms with the fact she was the Female Titan, that she had slaughtered countless members of the Survey Corps. If she was the Female Titan, then she had killed his team before his very eyes before disabling him in a duel of Titans.

He had recognized her stance, the martial form she had taught him with bruises and experience, in the moment before she disabled him. It had been the reason he froze, shocked by what his eyes witnessed, what his mind rejected.

She looked oddly nice with the green and white unicorn sigils of the Military Police. Sometimes he wished she could've picked the Survey Corps as well, with their the blue and white wings of freedom. His mouth went dry, his emerald eyes fixated upon her. Annie's blue eyes met his and neither flinched away.

"Eren…" she whispered. "I…It's nice to see you."

"Same," he said, embarrassed by how weak he sounded. Perhaps to her it was merely cautious, playing up the story of smuggling him out of Stohess and away from Wall Rose.

Armin said nothing, though Eren wasn't exactly happy with the odd look he got from his oldest friend. There was something judgmental, hurt, about the look. It broiled in Eren's gut, as though Armin was the only one who had witnessed the Female Titan engage in butchery. Visions of the Levi Squad came to Eren at night—Gunther, severed by blades; Eld, bitten in half; Oluo, killed in midair by a roundhouse kick; and Petra, stomped into the base of a tree. The Expedition had only been a few days prior, and yet their deaths already haunted him as the death of his mother still did.

The thought it was Annie, that she had been the Female Titan, made his mouth taste sour. There was an ache in his chest, which grew more painful with every quiet step.

Too soon was when they came upon the descending entrance into Stohess' modest underground city. Eren knew that either Annie would follow them down, or would supposedly confirm Armin's theory that she was the very Titan he had so recently fought.

He glanced at her, taking her hand in his. His heart couldn't live with her being that very Titan his friends thought she was. Annie startled, staring down at their joined hands, before blue met green.

"We're heading down below," Eren said, trying to be comforting. "You complain so much about being a frail maiden I thought you would appreciate my support."

He ignored the burning gazes of his friends while Annie peered down into the staircase and at the darkness below.

"I don't like it," she whispered, unable to look away. "Please, let's find another way around the gate."

Eren grasped her hand tighter, drawing her gaze back to him. He could see her fear, but there was something else. Something that tore at him, made him wish there was some other way. But, this was Armin's plan, and Eren had placed everything on being able to convince Annie to go along with them.

"I'll be with you, every step of the way."

Before she could reply, Mikasa grabbed his free hand and pulled hard. His grasp upon Annie's hand was lost, and she watched almost passively as Eren was forced to head down the staircase without her. He could just spot Armin coming along, a pensive expression in the brief moment their eyes met.

"Hurry up, Annie!" Armin called out, as though he hadn't gotten Mikasa to undo the only hope they had of getting her to follow them. "We don't have much time until they figure out we've replaced Eren with Jean!"

The reminder that Jean was his stand-in with the Military Police distracted him for a moment, but it wasn't enough to convince Annie. She stood there, at the lip of the first step down, and stared at them.

"I notice that there's been nobody around for a while now," Annie said. "Tell me, Armin. Were you always so afraid of me?"

Frowning, Eren glanced at his friend. Armin was trying to hide his fear, but he could see it. Armin was utterly convinced that Annie was the Female Titan, and he no longer thought it was necessary to keep those thoughts secret from the suspected girl.

"I want to know, Annie," he began, "why did you spare my life?"

Annie looked away. "Who knows?" she whispered. "Maybe you still had your use…"

"Stop this bullshit!" Eren screamed. Everyone flinched, though none as painfully as Annie. "Please, just come down here! I…I love you!"

He could hear his heart pounding, thundering as he waited for her reply. Eren was shocked with himself, being so honest in this moment, yet there was also relief from admitting to himself and to her that painful truth he had held close and dear.

Her blue eyes found his green, wet with tears. "I know, Eren…and I wish I didn't."

"Enough!" growled Mikasa, stepping in between Eren and Annie. She drew a blade, sharp metal sliding against its sharpening sheath. "I'll cut you to shreds this time, Female Titan!"

Annie stared at Mikasa. A moment passed, and then she smirked. Three heartbeats passed and then she threw her head back, laughing. A tear trickled out from the corner of Eren's right eye, watching her descent into madness.

She grinned as her laugh died. Her blue eyes were everywhere but on Eren. "I hope you're glad I could be a good person for you, Armin. Your gamble has paid off." Her grin turned manic, a face of her he had never thought possible. "Let's see how mine works!"

Her right hand came up, finger exposed and hovering between her teeth. Armin was quicker, though, drawing an acoustic round gun and firing. As though within the span of a blink, nearly a dozen people had emerged from their hiding spots and had crashed against her. A gag filled her mouth, drawing her head back to expose her neck.

Yet something seemed off. Her right hand moved, the thumb exposing a hooked point that would be perfect for—

"We were too late," snarled Mikasa, grabbing Eren and Armin. She dragged them the final distance to the base of the tunnel and around the corner as lightning and heat exploded forth. He knew what it was, even though he couldn't see it.

Annie was the Female Titan. Armin had been right, and in that very moment, his heart shattered irreparably.