The clock on the wall ticked so painfully slow, Armin actually wanted to pull out his hair. Mikasa observed his blond friend for most of the class. She was aware something was up.
After sixty minutes of despair, their professor concluded his lecture, so everyone took their books and left, while chatting. The three neighbours also started picking up their things. Eren sighed as he got up and went out first.
Mikasa rested a hand on Armin's shoulder. "Armin, what's the matter?" she said calmly, while bringing her notebooks against her chest with her other hand. Mikasa really inspired comfort and safety with her eyes, in spite of not being that expressive. The blond let out a long sigh as he saw Annie quit the room, hiding in between the colossal people that were Reiner and Bertholdt. He thought he needed some advice, although Mikasa wasn't exactly the best option in that situation, but he had no other choice. He turned to face her porcelain appearance.
"Mikasa, can I trust you with something? I may need some piece of advice…" Armin said not looking in her eyes. Mikasa let out a soft sound of surprise.
"Sure Armin, I'm actually worried as you are the one who usually gives word of advice," she answered rather concerned, making Armin to bite his lower lip. They went out to the wooden hall, being filled with people, so they looked for a less crowded place.
Both coal and golden haired leaned on the rails which gave a sight of the empty canteen on the first floor. Armin sighed before confessing his crime to his childhood friend. Moreover, he felt terrible for letting Mikasa know and not Eren, but he had his priorities.
"So, I guess you can remember all this hair-styling fuss," Armin started looking gloomy. He made eye-contact to watch her reaction. Mikasa nodded softly. "Well, it was very fun for some, but not much for others. It seems like Annie was one of the latter."
"I will kill that bitch-" the girl snapped with a husky voice. Armin made a horrified expression.
"No, no, no violence! Mikasa, listen! You said you'd help me," he almost whispered, lifting his hands from the rails. "Okay, the point is that I have to make amends with… her," clarified Armin, not feeling relieved.
"What did she do to you?" demanded a bothered Mikasa, now facing him completely. She scowled, Armin gulping in response. He might had chosen the wrong person, after all.
"Well, she… Let's say that we kind of… Argued," Armin started to fidget at the sudden memory. "And I did something… she was really pissed off, I just feel so guilty. I just think she won't ever speak to me again," he sighed. Mikasa raised a thin eyebrow.
"Did she ever speak to you, anyway?" wondered the girl, crossing her arms over her chest. Armin felt rather offended.
"Well, YES, we spoke… Occasionally," the blond pouted mockingly. He then pulled himself together, making Mikasa know he was actually worried about Annie.
"Armin, I don't know what you have done to her, but she's a bizarre one," Mikasa sighed. "If you want to get to her, you'll have to think like her. A girl's mind is a twisted place…" she fell slowly into a trance, to which the blond answered by rocking her shoulders. He thanked the exotic looking girl and went down the stairs. He would have to convince Annie Leonhardt of speaking with him.
That day training consisted in body-to-body combat. Armin's most hated and Annie's favorite. In spite of lacking basic self-defense skills, Armin would sacrifice his dignity and self-esteem just so he could have a little chat with Annie. However, he could be doing the lottery in order to win a nice beating from his angered partner.
After pretending a fake fight with Jean, he looked out for the platinum-haired girl. He caught sight of her shirking the task. It was then or never. He walked over to her showing a confident façade, so she wouldn't slip away. Nevertheless, she didn't even look at him when she had his presence in front of her. The blond boy tried to look collected and calm.
"See, Annie, ah… Hey! Come back here!" he protested, running in order to stand in front of the girl who tried to dodge him.
"I have no time for you," she droned, looking to her side while trying to walk away. Armin got in her way, again.
"Annie, it's close combat training. Would… would you be my partner?" he asked, knowing what he was getting involved in. Annie suddenly made eye-contact, looking utterly surprised. She then looked as she realized her showing emotions, making a deadpan expression to cover them up.
"Arlert, I guess you are smart enough to know who you are asking. Just a few hours ago you were running from me, and now you're asking me to fight against you?" she declared, a fierce look in her crystal eyes. The boy nodded, hesitantly.
She was well aware of his intentions. He wouldn't come to her out of the blue and ask her to beat him up. Annie was really mad at him. She couldn't afford to have sympathy for others, let alone becoming attached. Betrayal wouldn't feel so painful in that way. Nevertheless, she really appreciated he was so eager to sacrifice his butt just so he could talk to her. What a fool.
"I guess I am. Also, don't go easy on me. That will make up for what I did, Annie," he couldn't bear her piercing glare, so he looked at her boots instead. He knew Annie was soft inside; she was just a really good actress. The girl was actually bewildered.
"Don't you even mention it. Rather, I would prefer not to talk with you ever again. But you're more stubborn than you look. I guess I can't fight against stubbornness, it makes me sick," she sighed, Armin showing a genuine smile on his face. "Cut it out, or I will make it disappear. And don't worry, I just don't go easy on anyone," she prepared herself, lifting her fists in front of her face. Armin tried to copy her actions, in an attempt of showing some kind of knowledge in that field, which she knew he absolutely had not.
"Not even on yourself?" the boy looked like he was teasing her, but he was totally serious. Annie frowned, she hated those little games he played on everyone. They wouldn't work on her, or so she hoped. She lifted her right leg in order to kick the side of his face, to which Armin responded by blocking her target with his forearm, being brutally struck. A sharp crack was heard, followed by a yelp.
"You, freaking idiot! You don't just block a leg kick with your arm! Stupid!" Annie scolded the hurt looking boy, who sat on the floor. She kneeled in front of him, still ranting. Armin held his swollen arm close to his chest. "Let me see it. You deserve it, damn pervert! Let me see it!" she demanded, trying to hold the hurt limb. Armin held it out while complaining. She rolled his sleeve up, examining the injury with expert eyes.
"I-I am not a pervert…" he murmured, trying to conceal his pain. She was so brutish! Although, he asked her to not go easy on him. Plus, he could deserve it. The girl fixed her clear eyes on him, showing annoyance.
"Oh, really? So you just go kissing everyone who menaces you? That wouldn't make you a pervert, not in the slightest," she hissed, tightening her grasp on the boy's hurt arm. Armin yelped.
"Ow, Annie!" he protested. "That's right, you were menacing me. With a pair of scissors. Running after me with a pair of scissors!" the blond reproached, trying to get free of her firm grasp.
"Don't shout you whiny baby! If anyone hears then I'll break your other arm," the boy opened his mouth.
"Is it broken!?" Armin looked his arm in consternation. A deep scarlet bruise was starting to show on his forearm.
"What did I just say! Shut up Arlert! Coconut idiot." The girl wheezed in despair. She tried to hide the injury from the rest of the trainees turning her back on them. Annie wasn't interested in causing a fuss in the slightest.
"What's a coconut?" Armin asked confused, looking at her annoyed expression.
"What's- What's a- Dammit Armin, it's just- just an expression from my hometown," she stuttered, trying to make up her mistake. Armin tilted his head, she was quite eerie.
"Annie, I'm really sorry for what I did. I was just so shocked, I- well, I can't make up an excuse, that's for cowards. So I completely understand your irritation. I hope you can forgive me, someday. I don't usually… do these type of things," he cut his apology as he felt heat spreading across his cheeks. Annie observed him carefully. When she realized his sudden blush, she just wanted to cackle, but kept it to herself. So naïve.
"Armin, I just want you to know that if you try something like that again I'll bite your head off," she said deadpan serious.
"Wow Annie, I thought you were gore, but that's just too much," exclaimed a bewildered Armin. The girl rolled her eyes.
"It's just an expression. Your arm will heal in maybe two months, at worst. I'm sorry for this, and you're sorry for that, so we're at hand." She stood up and held a hand out to help him up, too. Armin wasn't really happy with the outcome, but it could have been worse. Annie could really act like a normal person. Even like a good person. "Also, you're pathetic at fighting. Someone should teach you, seriously. Meat inside your skull won't always save you," she said, pointing at his head.
"Teach me then!" he protested, feeling offended.
"Don't tell me you will be as annoying as your friend with suicidal tendencies," she said when she was almost leaving, turning towards him. "I'm no-one teacher. It just doesn't work like that. What do I get in return? Ah yes- competence. So, it's a no. Sorry Armin." She answered with arms akimbo.
"I could teach you something in return," stated a confident Armin, who hadn't felt like that for a while. "I may not have great physical strength, but I compensate that with other things."
"Sure, smart-pants. You'll have to be more convincing. Still, I think you're a creep. Kissing people all around. Have you ever heard of mononucleosis?" she teased while walking away, almost like having fun. Armin felt challenged. Really challenged.