I don't like the terms "good person" or "bad person" because it's impossible to be entirely good to everyone, or entirely bad to everyone. To some, you are a good person, while to others, you are a bad person."

Armin threaded his fingers through his hair as he stared in the mirror over his dresser. He noted the bags under his eyes, and he noticed the way his haircut framed his face. It was a different look for him, but he liked it.

It's nice to not look like Historia anymore. He shuddered, and gnawed on his lip. Thinking about it will get you nowhere. He looked in the mirror again, and he saw the light leave his eyes once more.

His hands were shaking now, and he felt his throat tighten. But, he held his head high anyway, moving through his room and out the door. It was time for dinner, and he could feel his stomach growl at him, even if the thought of eating made him sort of nauseous.

As he walked down the stairs, he noticed that the world was quiet, completely silent minus the small click of heels on wood. He stood at the second to bottom stair searching.

"Where is everyone?"

It seemed then, he was truly talking to himself, and he took a deep breath.

"Armin!" The shrillness in her voice made him jump.

"Armin!"

She skid in front of him, eyes wide with fear, anger, frustration. There were so many emotions in her Armin was surprised she could still say his name.

"Hitch, what's wrong?" He asked, taking the final step down from the stairs. "What's going on?!"

"It's Annie."

"Ann-"

"She's out of the crystal." She interrupted through gasping breaths.

No… She can't be… Is she….

"You have to see her, now!" She chirped, dragging him by the wrist through the building. It seemed so bare without people strolling through the halls, and Armin felt his stomach rise up to his throat again.

Hitch had almost pushed him down the stairs, apologizing profusely before closing the door. Armin hurriedly moved past the cells, before he saw her.

The silence pierced through his ears. He couldn't hear his own heartbeat, and he thought maybe, somehow, he had died. Maybe this was his punishment. It sure felt like his heart had quit: stopped beating.

His fingers ran through his hair.

Then, he saw the small shape in her arms, bundled up. He could feel his eyes widen. Anxiety struck him and his heart was beating out of his chest. His head felt clouded, and light all at once. What? What is… No…. No. It can't be. It's not real, this isn't real this is–

"I'm sorry." She spoke.

He almost hadn't heard her, due to the ringing in his ears. Armin approached Annie's cage. His feet moved like lead, and his head felt even heavier. Speak. Say something.

He unlocked the door, and peeled back the metal, moving in and closing it behind him. There were chains on her wrists, and belts around her legs. They were unforgiving, he noticed. She was barely able to hold the small thing in her arms against her chest. As he moved closer, he realized it was real. A baby… Her baby? M-My….

"Do you want to hold her?" She asked him, softly. Annie's voice was heavy with fear, terror.

He let the stiffness in his shoulders falter as she tried to hold out the infant to him. Armin quietly nodded, and took the small bundle into his arms.

"Is… Is she mine?"

Annie retracted into herself, arms folded as her brows furrowed softly. "...As if I would ever let anyone else touch me."

Armin shrugged with one shoulder, and kept his eyes on the tiny figure in his arms. The weight in his stomach dropped, and his shoulders fell. "Oh…" He could feel his eyes soften, and his heart was pounding. His head was starting to clear. "Well, hello, little one." He whispered softly as he began to bounce. Her eyes opened, and she looked at him. She had bright blue eyes, but so did every newborn. He had learned that a year and a half ago.

Hands reached for his finger, smaller than anything he had ever seen. She was beautiful. Her hands took grip of his finger, and Armin smiled. For the first time in months, Armin felt warmth in his chest. He bounced her gently.

"I haven't named her, yet." Annie spoke. "I was thinking... maybe you'd want to name her."

Armin nodded as he heard Annie's voice. He cooed a bit at the small baby in his arms. "You're quite adorable, aren't you?" He whispered quietly. The baby's legs kicked around in his arms, trying to unswaddle the blanket she was tucked into. "I think someone is getting hungry."

"Hand her to me."

Armin moved over and placed the child in her arms. Annie's fingers pulled down the collar of her shirt, and brought her breast out.

Armin's gaze immediately turned the other way. His ears turned red, and he kept his eyes downcast.

"Oh what, you're not flustered by this are you? This isn't training, Armin."

The moment she spoke, the air grew heavy, and they both winced. You're right, it isn't training.

"I m-meant-"

Armin turned around and watched as his baby's hands push against the skin of her breast. "I know what you meant, Annie. You're right this isn't training. We're both adults."

She took in a noticeable gulp. "...Yeah. You've grown."

"You don't look any older."

He watched as she brushed her fingertips through the infant's fine hair. "How would you know? You won't look at me."

"I'm staring right at-"

"Why won't you look me in the eyes, Armin?"

If I see them, then this is real. I'm not sure I want it to be. I don't want to see them again. Not after this. I can't. I can't deal with the guilt.

How could either of us be considered human?

"Armin, you look like you're going to pass out. Can you… Come sit on the bed."

He took a step back, and crossed his arms over his chest. He could feel himself curl in on himself. Maybe he could disappear, if he held himself tight enough.

"I won't hurt you. I could never."

"But you did." The crack in his voice made him ache. "You did hurt me. You… You never loved me, did you? This was all part of your plan, wasn't it? Manipulate the one person who could give in to you. You became my weakness and you exploited it." His hands threw down by his sides in balled up fists. "You made me fall in love with you and you brought her into this world without a care in the world. You didn't care who you dragged into this. As long as you could go home."

"Armin you're wrong-"

"About what, Annie? How could you lie to me like that? How could you tell me that you loved me? I was in denial. I kept my mouth shut. I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't… I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to believe the person I fell in love with could kill people like that." But who are you to talk?

"You think I wanted this? You think I planned to get pregnant. You think I wanted to-"

"Don't lie to me, Annie!"

The break in their words was the small bundle, crying.

Armin stepped back, letting the metal bars cool down the heat through his back. You let your guard down again. You can't get mad like that. Armin ran his hands into his hair and gripped, pulling. He desperately wanted to scream.

"Shh shh shhh." Annie hushed as she bounced the wailing child in her arms. "It's okay, it's okay."

He watched numbly for a moment, letting his chest heave up and down before moving to a still. "Hand her to me."

Once she was in his arms again, Armin sat at the edge of the bed.

"On a wagon,

bound from market,

there's a calf with a mournful eye.

High above him, there's a swallow

Winging swiftly through the sky

How the winds are laughing

They laugh with all their might

Love and laugh the whole day through

And half the summer's night,"

Armin sung softly, brushing the little hairs on his daughter's head back. He could hear the resonance in the room, and he felt the song heavy in his chest. He glanced at Annie, whose eyes were downcast. His heart ached for her. He swallowed down the feeling rising in the back of his throat, and looked back down at his baby girl.

"Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don

Stop complaining, said the farmer

Who told you what had to be?

Why can't you have wings to fly with

Like the swallow so proud and free

How the winds are laughing

They laugh with all their might

Love and laugh the whole day through

And half the summer's night."

She was calming down, and her eyes were looking up at his face with curiosity. He smiled. Her mouth hung open, and her piercing eyes were staring up at him. She was too cute. He noticed then her nose was a little bit pointier than his. You'll have your mother's eyes, won't you? You already have her nose.

" Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don

Calves are easily bound and slaughtered

Never knowing the reason why

Oh why can't you have wings to fly with

Like the swallow- you've learned to fly.

How the winds are laughing

They laugh with all their might

Laugh and laugh the whole day through

And half the summer's night

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna,

Donna, Donna, Donna, Don. "

The baby was asleep now, and Armin smiled. She was nuzzled up into him, against his chest. She was so small, so fragile. For a moment, Armin was unsure if she was safe in his arms.

His gaze moved to Annie once again. She held her hand over her mouth, as she looked at the child in his hands. With her eyes focused, Armin decided he could look at her features safely. She looked the same age. A little older, but he wasn't sure if it was due to the lack of meat on her bones, or whether pregnancy had aged her. Her cheekbones stuck out like knives, and her jaw looked like it would break free of her. The baby probably stolen the nutrients Annie still had in her. Her lips were still full, and the gloss in her eyes were still there. She wasn't dead like he was–

inside, anyways.

"You still want me to name her?" He asked, knowing the answer well. Why he bothered to ask, he had no clue.

"I do." She said pulling her focus from the child. He could feel her search for his eyes, but he kept it away yet again.

Armin swallowed the lump in his throat. He stood up then, in a split moment of confidence, and moved next to Annie. He sat on the bed beside her, and held their daughter in his arms.

He had imagined this moment before. His image was skewed, but this situation came as a surprise. To me, anyways.

Many times he had imagined him holding their child, sitting on the bed together as they spoke of their duties for the next morning. He could clearly see Annie's smile, and her cheeks still full from pregnancy. Her eyes, warm. She'd take the baby into her arms and put the bundle into the crib. She'd move over to him, lay on his chest and kiss him slowly. He would wonder then, if she was happy. The smile on her face when she slept would answer his thoughts and insecurities, and he'd fall asleep with her.

But, this wasn't a dream. It was reality.

Is reality supposed to be a nightmare?

"Abigail." He whispered as he looked at his child again.

"Abigail?" Annie asked as she pressed a kiss to the child's head. The clanging of chains stirred the baby in his arms, but she settled again within seconds. "I like it."

A/N:

Originally posted on ao3!

Sorry it took so long. College is hell, as is my brain. Enjoy, motherdongs. -Phae