A/N: It took awhile. But part 3 got pretty long, so I cut it into 4 parts. One more thing, I head-canon Colt to be around 16/ 17, because the cadets are all around 12 and I believe since he's going to inherit the beast titan (and be the leader of the warriors) he has to be significantly older. ANYWHO! Enjoy this continuation of Waver & Please Read n Review! I'd honestly love to hear what you guys think of this au so far!

Waver PT. III

Time was of the essence. Upon leaving the pier, Annie had Thirty-two hours to come up with a plan. She now had twenty-four hours to set the plan into motion.

And counting down.

The day ran its course, hour after hour passed by. The crack of dawn was spent running drills for the young warriors to keep them in shape. As the morning came by, Annie had gotten a hold of Pieck, claiming she needed the cart girl for a special mission.

The 'mission' in retrospect just turned out to be that Annie had need of Pieck's womanly advice in shopping for more enticing clothing. Pieck had reminded her it was against the Marley regiment to be seen out of their standard warrior uniform when out in town. Yet she still gave some decent tips involving fashion. Though Pieck herself wasn't much of a shopaholic either. Her taste in casual clothing often involved long ankle length skirts, stark white blouses and boots. That wasn't exactly too far off from their own dull standard uniform style.

If there was a way, Annie would have longed to contact her old roommate Hitch Dreyse of the Military Police and ask her for advice regarding quality feminine fashion.

After all, that was an ingredient to the scheme she was cooking. To capture the eyes, to draw away attention. Feed into the obliviousness as to not alert her prey. What better way to do that than to use her own body? It was all part of the plan.

Annie Leonhardt was not above luring in naive men like a black widow does its meals by flaunting her femininity, or feigning innocence for that matter. It was one way to get what she wanted without breaking arms. Though she found she lacked the charismatic charm many young women so often do have; she made up for it with a more salacious wardrobe to tease and taunt. Never too touch, however. She would never stoop that low.

In the end, many men only wanted one thing after all.

But Eren is different.

Annie crinkled her nose at the sight of a tacky blouse patterned in seashells. She moved the blouse to the side, sifting through the rack of clothing for something to catch the eye.

Well… Maybe not so different. He does want something from me. My loyalty.

Pondering, Annie fingered the sleeve of a cashmere pullover. The material was softer than any of the clothes she owned. Though she grimaced when she caught sight of the outrageous price written on the slip of paper dangling from the hem.

He thinks I'm easy to manipulate. He thinks just because I showed some sympathy for his people I would willingly join his side.

She had mulled over his words after that meeting. What did it matter that she spared a couple of lives in Paradise when she had killed hundreds more? In fact, what did it matter to him?

Annie shook her head, losing interest in the line of colorful blouses and sweaters. She moved about the small shop, squeezing through racks of polished leather shoes and fake pearls. But nothing caught her eye.

Pieck came burrowing out a thicket of frilly skirts than, a bit clumsily on her crutch. She smoothed the stray away tendrils of her long black hair that had gotten stuck on a button. The cart girl's hair tended to get caught in anything. Annie folded her arms, nodding to the dark silky bundle Pieck clutched to her chest with one arm.

"What's that you got there?"

Pieck only smiled, she held her arm up, unfolding the garment. It rippled like waves down to her ankles, a navy color greeted Annie's eye. The dress looked decent; the sleeves stopped halfway down the forearm, the top was loose with a low neckline. And the skirt was cinched at the waist, it wasn't too long, nor too short. Annie at least wouldn't have to get it tailored to suit her height.

She gave Pieck a nod of approval. "Not bad."

"Thought you might like it." Pieck held out the dress, dropping it into Annie's awaiting arms.

"Not to be intrusive, Vice Commander. I know you said you wanted to look for more flirty styles. But you yourself aren't a very flirtatious person. It begs me to wonder who exactly it is you are looking to impress, hm?"

Annie rolled her eyes, turning her back to the cart girl in search of the shop owner. "That's none of your business."

"Aw." Pieck pouted. "Well, if you don't tell me I'd just have to assume you're playing dress-up for Reiner."

Annie made a noise of disgust, to which Pieck giggled at.

She ignored Pieck's japes after finding the shop owner. Annie had tried on the dress, and confirmed it was indeed a good fit. After she changed, she'd paid the shop owner the dresses full price; which was unfortunately half of the large sum she made as her rank of Vice Commander. It was even more expensive than that cashmere pullover.

Annie knew even Hitch would balk at this. But silk wasn't cheap, and it especially wasn't cheap for Eldians'.

Though it shouldn't matter to her. Money being spent on frivolous things.

It's all according to her plan. She will avoid engaging Eren in a fight. She will distract him, feed into his ideals of her joining his cause. She will keep him at the Seaport for as long as she could.

He will never board that train to Liberio.

Annie was going to make sure of that.

The Market's only liquor shop closed during the afternoons. Annie had to meet with Reiner and the young warriors for lunch at a quarter to 13:00. But she had sent Colt to make her order with the old man that tended there. Colt was skittish at first. This districts law was different from that of Liberios when it came to alcohol. They prohibited those under the age of 18 to purchase alcohol under the suspicion that they might try to make off with it across the heavily guarded waters.

Though the old man was an Eldian himself. And Sometimes when the Marleyian authorities were out of earshot, he complained that his eyes were so bad, he couldn't tell a young adult from an elder.

Her order was quite a popular drink. Marleys' own special brew of red wine. Made up of fresh black grapes from the farms they'd hijacked from Eldian families in the far country side. Annie had tried it before though. Not being a fan of alcohol, she thought the taste was mediocre at best.

Perhaps Eren would think differently.

Annie waited outside the luncheon Café for Colt to arrive with her wine. She leaned against the boarded windows with Reiner accompanying her. He sat to her left on the bench by the front doors, and held a tin can of boiling lemon tea, occasionally taking sips. The inner skin of his palms was tinged a brighter red than tomato. Annie knew the tea must've been scalding him, yet Reiner had no reaction to it.

He welcomes the pain. It keeps him awake, reminds him he's still alive.

She made no attempt to start a conversation with him. It always ended the same way. She didn't like looking at his pathetic state. It made her feel almost guilty if she stared at him too long, and she believed she had no right to start sympathizing with him, yet.

From Inside the Café Annie heard Gabi's proud piercing voice, the young cadet was going on about how she had destroyed the Mid-East Union's armored train with a homemade bomb she concocted. It's only the 25th time Annie had heard the story since they had gotten back from the trench. Annie doesn't understand why Gabi was thrilled to offer herself as a willing sacrifice for a foolhardy plan. Though it worked, it was still reckless.

And stupid.

She wondered what a meeting between Gabi and a young Eren would've been like.

Like two stones scraping against each other perhaps. Emitting spark after spark, until they get a fire going. But that fire would slowly grow too big because, as reckless beings, the two would just keep fanning it until that fire became wildfire. And that wildfire would slowly spread and consume any and everything in its way.

In short, they're both obtrusive, quick-to-fiery people. But that was a meeting only in theory; if she were to compare Gabi, and the Eren she was forced to follow less than a day ago. There wouldn't be as much similarities. In fact, Eren never truly came off as being enraged at her. Maybe irritated.

Though he was certainly forward…

Annie's mind came to that not-so kiss he'd given her before she fled. She tsk'd, turning her face away from Reiner so he wouldn't spot the embarrassing blush that adorned her cheeks. Not that he'd notice anything within a foot of him these days.

"Hey, Miss Leonhardt!"

A voice called out. Both Reiner and Annie swiveled their heads to the owner of that voice—a tall, fair-haired young soldier who was running up to them, clutching a brown paper bag to his chest.

Colt was out of breath once he stopped short of his small Vice Commander. "Hey—" He coughed, trying to catch his breath, "—I got your wine."

He held the paper bag out to her by the handle of the wine bottle inside. Annie took it by placing her hand on the bottom of the bottle first. She spared a glace to the contents inside to ensure it was exactly what she asked for.

"The bottle is smaller than I expected."

"The old man told me It's a little less than the standard size, seven-hundred fifty millimeters, but that's the kind of bottle you get for the amount of money you gave." Colt explained as courteous as he possibly could. He had always been intimidated by the little Vice Commander more so than Reiner, and the Warrior Chief, Zeke.

Annie sighed. "This'll do then. Thank you, Colt."

Colt gave a nod to Reiner. "What's that you got there?"

"Tea." Reiner muttered.

"Ah. So, are you guys going to have your own celebration too?"

Annie shared a glance with Reiner, who shrugged in response. She turned to Colt, drumming her fingers on the wine. "This is our celebration, I guess. Some peace and quiet, it's too rowdy in there."

Colt chuckled, "Yeah they're pretty loud, huh." He shuffled his feet a bit, looking every bit apprehensive as his light-colored eyes darted from the front doors of the café, to his superiors.

"Erm- Ahem—Miss Leonhardt?"

"You can just call me Annie, Colt. Only the kids address me Miss Leonhardt, and you're hardly a kid."

The cadet jumped, a pink hue adorned his pale cheeks. "Right! Heheh, it's just you're the Vice Commander and I well— never mind!" He shook his head frantically. "I just—I just wanted to give my thanks to you… for training me, that is."

Colt sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know I'm not a quick learner, but I've been getting the hang of the techniques you've taught me. I'm hoping to put all your teachings into good use when I acquire the Beast titan."

Annie stared quizzically at him for a moment. Colt swallowed under her piercing blue gaze.

"Yes well," She nodded after a couple of seconds, "See that you do. I don't always dedicate my free time to training soldiers who aren't my priority."

Colt grinned at that, pulling up the sleeve of his uniform. "Don't worry, I will!" He flashed her the underside of his forearm; his sheet pale skin was littered with purple and green faded marks. Courtesy of the Vice Commander herself.

But he seemed proud to bare them. "I didn't earn these bruises for nothing," Colt rolled his sleeve back down. "Those kicks of yours really hurt, and you grapple way too hard, sometimes I feel like I'm going to pass out from it."

"That's kind of the point."

Colt laughed again. "I suppose so. Well that's all I wanted to say. I'll see you guys later! I promised Porco I'd make up to him by buying him lunch this time."

"Try not throwing up on anybody." Annie called out after him. Colt flushed, ducking his head as he entered the café. The doors opened, noise erupted from within—then the doors swung shut behind him, quickly muffling the racket.

Annie took her place against the boarded the windows. Still drumming her fingers against the wrapped wine bottle.

Eren said the same thing to me once too… Didn't he? During our trainee days…

"You trained with Colt?"

Reiner's gruff disused voice almost startled her. Almost.

She shrugged. "I trained Colt, for some time. Yes."

Reiner sipped his chilled tea once, then asked. "Why?"

"Why not?" Annie rubbed her temple, feeling the feather light fingers of déjà vu prod at her brain. A conversation had started like this between them years ago, hadn't it? It almost seemed like she was a trainee again, back on Paradise Island, back within the walls. Back with the 104th squadron. In that memory she had bitterly answered, "Because you threw the idiot my way."

In the here, and now. She only sighed, "He asked me too. And Zeke isn't the best at hand to hand combat. Colt will be at a disadvantage if the only thing he picks up from the Chief is how to pitch a ball."

Reiner made an airy sound, like a laugh but not quite. "… You know sometimes I see them when I look at the others."

Annie perked an eyebrow, but she knew what he was going on about. She was glad she wasn't the only one who did.

"Bertolt, Marcel…" Reiner leaned against the back of the bench, craning his neck up to the cloudy afternoon skies. "… The entire 104th squad. I see them all here. All the time. The dead ones especially."

He grimaced, "I wish I didn't. They haunt me everywhere I go. Especially him."

Reiner took a hard chug of his tea, swallowing audibly. Annie swore she almost heard the man whimper.

"This is my penance I suppose… I hurt him the most."

Thirty minutes to 20:00, Annie hurriedly made her way down the same back alleyways Eren had led her though a day prior. She clutched the top of her long trench coat with one hand, underneath it she carried a satchel. The wine Colt had purchased for her was safely hidden inside. Night had already set in, and the skies were a clear indigo speckled with distant twinkling stars. There was a brisk chill in the wind, coming from being too close to the sea, but it was nothing she couldn't handle

The silk dress she bought in the morning felt light, and pleasurably smooth against her skin. The hem of the dress swished around her lithe pale legs. She would have worn some woolen stockings she owned too; but they itched badly so she discarded them in favor of shorts to wear beneath the dress.

Annie had styled her hair to the best of her ability. She settled on a loose braid; combing her long bangs to the side, tendrils of platinum blonde still obscured her eyes. She also had applied a bit of light make-up. A sweep of mascara to make her eyes stand out, nude lip stick, a dust of dark eyeshadow for a sultrier look. She even powdered her face to a livelier rouge complexion. This game wasn't new to her, so she had taken to learning about cosmetics and beauty earlier on.

Though Eren wasn't the type to care much for appearance. If she was being honest with herself; Annie didn't know what Eren looked for in a woman. Or if he favored the opposite sex at all.

She'll find out soon enough though. It's not like it mattered too much to her. She knew him. And he had known her. They had respect for each other. That's what mattered most. That familiarity. That admiration. If she played her cards right, she might be able to manipulate him; as he had tried to manipulate her, using only her words.

There might not even be a need for the wine.

Still, she tried not getting her hopes high. This was Eren Jaeger, after all.

"-Isgusting bastard!"

Annie halted in her path.

Glass shattered in the distance, followed by raucous laughter.

What was that?

Going for a stroll at night pass the Marleys' curfew hours was dangerous; walking in the back alleys at night pass curfew hours, was even more dangerous. Annie squared her shoulders, continuing down the narrow cobblestone path towards the noise. She walked carefully to avoid having her heels clack too much.

Annie stopped short of a corner, just when that same obnoxious laugh erupted.

"Oh shit, Look! Look at his eye! Haha!"

She crept forward cautiously. Keeping one hand on the grimy wall, she peeked around the corner. There was a dumpster which obscured a lot of her view. But Annie did see two young men. One who was sharply dressed, and laughing like a hyena, and another who stood off to the side with his back facing her, that one's arms were crossed. But she saw clearly the absence of the star arm band on both men.

Marleyian Civilians? What are they doing in an Eldian neighborhood? …

The dumpster hid her view of what she was certain was a poor incapacitated Eldian.

The laughing man kicked at the body behind the dumpster, Annie heard a low groan.

"C'mon gutter rat, preach to us again. So we can knock you the fuck out some more."

Annie swallowed inaudibly.

This is none of business. Turn around. Don't look back. These things always happen.

And she was. She was just about to step away, to put what she saw behind her, and erase it from her memory. Until she heard his voice.

"You're only going to… damage your delicate fists."

Annie shut her eyes, sighing exasperatedly.

Damn it.

"C'mere, you one-eyed bitch."

Annie peeped around the corner again, the laughing man was no longer laughing, but snarling into the face of the suicidal idiot she was supposed to use her nearly non-existent charm on.

Damn it Eren!

Annie could barely see the other titan shifter, and his long hair fell over his eyes and much of his face. But that well-dressed young man was holding Eren up by his shirt high enough that she could make out the cuts on his cheek, and the smear of red covering his chin. The one holding Eren hissed something, before launching his fist into Eren's stomach—Eren doubled over, but the suited man caught him, holding him up by his shoulders, before striking Eren's chest with his knee.

Eren fell limply; Annie winced.

That's twice he's been kicked in the chest now.

The well-dressed man who seemed to be doing all the violence gestured to Eren, looking to the other young man who stood idly off to the side. "Walter, frisk him. Dirty rat may actually have something of value on him."

The one called 'Walter' cringed at Eren's crumpled form on the ground, "Fuck no. You do it. I don't want to touch him, he looks so filthy."

The well-dressed one sighed with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "Ugh, fine."

Annie decided that was enough. She stepped out into the open.

"Hey."

Her presence startled the two young men enough for them to look fearful for a split second.

"What!—Oh…" The suited man jumped to his feet, looking every bit like an angry well-dressed pig in Annie's eyes.

"it's just another Eldian…" He smirked, his eyes landing on her armband, then scoured the rest of her body.

"But this one's a doll, you got money pretty girl?" His smile was lecherous.

Annie ignored him. "That man there, leave him alone."

"Or what?" The suited man was approaching her now. Sure footed, and cocky.

These types are always cocky.

"What're you going to do little girl, hm?" He stopped just a foot away from her. He attempted to be dominating but it didn't work on her, he wasn't so tall, in fact, he only had three more inches on Annie. She wondered how Eren could let himself get beaten by such a shrimp of a man.

Annie shrugged. "Nothing. I'm only asking you to leave him alone. You're beating up a defenseless civilian, and for what? I thought the Marleyians of this district were already rich. You certainly look so, why waste your time stealing from the poor?"

The suited man looked bewildered for a moment, then he laughed that hyena-like laugh of his that had Annie, and even the one called Walter cringing at the sound.

"Why the fuck," He stepped closer, "would I care about what you think? Walter get over here!"

Walter hesitated, "Uh—but I'm watching the gu—"

"I said get the fuck over here!"

"Okay."

The suited man leered down at her, "You see, nobody gives a shit what you think. You're nothing, you were born a little squealing rat like that one over there. Little Eldian girl, you might dress prettily but you're worth no more than shit off my shoe."

"Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?" Annie dead-panned.

The suited man chortled. "You think you're tough, huh?" He leaned into her face, this one reeked of musky cologne and sweat. Annie wrinkled her nose but looked directly into his eyes. Challenging him.

"No, I'm just a bystander. Are you really going to force yourself on a frail woman like me?"

"Frail?" His eyes trailed downward, lingering on her chest some. His eyes narrowed upon meeting her face once more, his hand reached out to grasp her, "Let's see how frail you really are—Huh!?"

Annie caught his wrist, twisting it. The suited man yelped, not expecting any retaliation, he tried to pull away, but she quickly dragged him down to her height.

"Very."

She kicked his ankles, so he tumbled over, but she still had a firm grip on his wrist. She yanked his arm higher, forcing him to his knees.

"Ah, fuck! What—what the fuck, you bitch! Walter!"

Annie expected this 'Walter' to intervene. She acted fast, without a second thought— she kicked the suited man's head into the nearby dumpster. Her polished black heel went flying in another direction. He was out the moment the impact came, sliding down the dumpster like a forgotten rag doll.

Walter hadn't reacted quick enough, he stared at his friend's unconsciousness body. Too overwhelmed to do anything. "Holy shit… Heinz! Fuck!"

Walter waved his hands hysterically. "You fucking killed him!"

Annie rolled her eyes. "I only knocked him out. He tried to grab me after all, we may not be protected against violence, but we are when it comes to sexual assault. I had every right to defend myself against a molester."

Walter shook his head frantically. "Heinz is not a—a molester! He—Oh, fuck off! I'm going to report you to the authorities!"

Walter turned to run. "An Eldian whore like you should be locked up—"

Annie tilted her head. Eren stood in Walter's way.

The Marleyian's hands were trembling. "Get—get out of my way…"

Calmly, Eren took hold of Walter's throat. Walking him into the same wall the suited man Heinz had held him against.

Strangely, Annie felt her stomach drop. As if this was the part where she knew it was going to get out of hand.

"Wait… Eren—"

He squeezed Walter's throat, so tightly that the dirty tan of knuckles became a lighter tint. The young Marleyian emitted a choking sound, grasping at Eren's arms, weakly shoving at his face, Eren merely brushed off the other's hands.

"Eren." Annie cautiously approached his side, like one would a rabid dog. With him closer now, Annie could see the damage the two Marleyians' did to his face. There was a bruise blossoming underneath his right eye, his lip was split, bleeding profusely, and his left eye—Annie gaped— was gone. Where there should be an eye was just shriveled eyelid skin, and a nail length scar running from his brow to his cheek bone.

"I don't get it," Eren's voice was soft but gruff. "I felt his fists on my face, he made me bleed. I never made any attempt to fight back, and yet," Eren leaned in, "… Yet the true hatred I saw was in your eyes, how you did nothing but watch. You secretly enjoyed watching him beat me."

The whites of Walter's eyes were wet and reddening from lack of oxygen. He beat at Eren's chest, to no avail. Eren observed him with a lack of emotion. He could've been looking at the wall itself, the way Eren regarded this Marleyian boy.

"Do you really hate me so much? Is all that hate well-earned for one Eldian? Did I deserve the beating he gave me, for simply existing? To what—atone for what my ancestors did to his hundreds of years ago? This is a new age now, why do we have to stay living in the past?"

Annie tentatively touched his elbow. "Eren, that is enough."

He looked at her, finally. Annie almost wished he didn't. His one eye didn't look like his own, brightly peering down at her through his tangles of dark hair.

Walter was starting to gag, clawing at Eren's hands. His feet beat on the pavement. Eren focused on him again. Holding him for a moment longer before releasing him. Walter sucked in a breath, red welts lined his throat. Sensing freedom, he tried to run, but Eren immediately shoved him back.

Walter coughed, "Just let me go, please!"

Eren delicately grabbed the Marleyian by the chin, he turned Walter's head so the Marleyian's view was focused on the petite blonde before him.

He leaned in so that his mouth was aligned with Walter's ear. "Apologize to her."

"W-what?"

Annie stepped back, folding her arms. "Eren, this is unnecessary."

His behavior was unsettling her. Already had the moment he got back up.

What is wrong with him?

"Not to me." Eren didn't take his eyes off Walter. He clutched the Marleyian's face tighter, causing the man to whimper pathetically.

"This woman here. She's the Vice Commander of the Warrior's Unit. In other words. A titan shifter."

Upon hearing that sentence. Walter's eyes bulged from their sockets more so than when he was being strangled. His mouth went agape in shock.

Annie's face rivaled Walter's. Though she appeared more furious than anything.

This bastard just revealed my identity!

"She's a high-ranking soldier," Eren continued, ignoring the blonde's murderous glare at his side. "Not a bitch, not a whore. She's the reason you never became fodder for your enemies."

Eren let go of Walter's chin, nudging him toward her. "Apologize."

Hot tears ran down Walter's cheeks. He looked even younger, bawling like a child in front of her.

"I—I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know—we didn't know. I'm… please—" He turned to Eren. "Can I leave now? You were right about Heinz! But I never laid a hand on you o-or that girl, please let me go. I won't tell… I won't tell anyone I swear!"

Eren looked to Annie. There was something in that vivid green eye of his she didn't like, something that caused her insides to turn cold as ice. Feeling uneasy, she hugged herself tighter. Giving her back to him.

Eren kept his sight on her but lazily gestured to Walter. "Go."

Walter sprung to his feet, ready to flee from the dumps of the Eldian tenement back alleys. Eren caught him by the arm before he could make a break for it.

"Bayside Pier, by the docks, where the trade boats come in."

Walter blinked away his tears. "H-huh—"

"Your mother lives by there." Was all Eren said. Walter was silent, comprehending Eren's words, then he sobbed louder. Eren let him go. For sure this time.