Day 3: Promises & Dreams

Leaning over the railing, Annie stared off into the distance and over the horizon. She still couldn't believe she was doing this, that this was actually happening. 5 years ago, when she fought and lost to Eren in Stohess, when she hid herself in her crystal in a last effort to save herself, she didn't believe she could ever go back home. She had thought it was the end for her.

But here she was on her way back to Marley.

But it was not as a warrior. No. She was returning there to destroy the very place that created her, together with the very devils she was supposed to be killing, and playing support for the Founding titan she was supposed to retrieve. When you thought about it, it was really quite funny.

"What are you thinking about?"

Annie suppressed a jolt at the quiet voice that came from behind her. She didn't hear anyone coming over the sound of the waves crashing on the side of the ship the Scouting Legion was using to cross the sea, but there Armin was, right next to her. Annie looked at him for a moment before turning away again. "Nothing much," she mumbled as she rested her chin on her hands folded over the railing.

Armin leaned on the railing as well, looking down at the girl critically. "It doesn't look like it. Are you really okay coming with us?"

Annie snorted, turning her head to the side to shoot Armin a look. He only continued watching her with concern, and Annie sighed. "Yes. I never gave a damn about Marley and the warriors. I just wish I could keep my promise." She finished with a crooked, humourless smile, glancing back over the horizon but not really seeing it.

"Promise?" Armin prompted gently, giving the girl his full attention.

"To my father," Annie explained. "He was the one who trained me and pushed me to try to become a warrior. But the day before we left for Paradis, he apologized and made me promise to come back home."

Armin nodded in understanding. Sure, Annie would be coming home but it was quite possible she would never see her father again. She was on the "wrong" side of the war now after all. "I'm sorry," Armin said quietly, hanging his head, but Annie only shook her head.

"No," she sighed, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I knew what it would mean when I decided to accept your offer. And I still stand by that decision. But I'm just a normal, weak person who can't throw away her childish attachments."

"You're not weak, Annie." Armin replied with certainty, making her look at him doubtfully. Armin only smiled gently. "You're not weak for doing what you feel is right. You're not weak for choosing your own path. And you're definitely not weak for loving your father."

Annie blinked at him a few times, before she started laughing. A quiet chuckle at first, but soon, she was laughing out loud and gasping for breath. Armin frowned, confused as to why she was suddenly laughing so hard. He couldn't say he hated the sound, however.

"You really are incredible, Armin," Annie said softly when she calmed down and Armin only cocked his head to the side, now confused even more.

"Well, you are incredible yourself so," he muttered awkwardly, making Annie snort with amusement again.

They stayed silent for a while, just watching the sun set slowly. They would arrive in Marley in the middle of the night when their infiltration would commence. There was no telling what would happen after that. If anyone would even survive. After all, there were five titan shifters and a whole, fully equipped army on the other side, while their only cards were 3 shifters and the element of surprise.

Annie only hoped Commander Hanji's weapons and Armin's strategy were enough to at least get Eren I-do-what-I-want Jaeger back out of the mouth of the enemy where he ran off by himself because "there was no time". Annie felt that even if they didn't succeed in the main mission, just securing Eren could be considered a success. Annie still didn't understand why she felt like the idiot could change the flow of the world. He was stupid and impulsive but there was just something about him that... spoke of change to Annie. And she wanted to believe things could change. That she could be free. That all of them could be free.

"What do you want to do when all this is over?" she asked after a long while, her low voice almost drowned out in the sound of the waves.

"You mean after our mission or... after everything?" Armin replied just as softly.

"After everything. Do you have something you want to do? A dream or something?"

Armin hummed, considering his answer carefully. "Well, I still really want to see the world. All of it. I saw the ocean now but I want to see all the other stuff too. The, what did you call it?" He paused to think back to the many conversations about the outside world he had had with Annie over the past four years. "The deserts and lava? I just want to see it all." He finished with a forlorn tilt to his voice, like he didn't really believe he could ever see any of it even if Paradis triumphed and Annie couldn't blame him. Becoming a titan shifter was a death sentence no matter who won the war. They had thirteen years to live and that was that. No buts, no exceptions. It was a cruel fate for a person like Armin.

A beat of silence passed before Armin returned the question. "What about you. What are you going to do?"

Annie stayed silent for a long while. Armin knew she heard him, however, because her expression turned a bit pained. So he gave her time, letting her mull over her thoughts, until finally, she spoke up, "I only have two more years to live Armin. There is nothing else for me after this."

Armin flinched at the reminder, as well as the careless tone with which Annie said it. It sounded like she was at peace with it but Armin could here there was underlying fear there as well. So much fear and regret and resignation. He hated the tone.

"You are allowed to dream, Annie."

Annie huffed out a laugh, glancing up at him, "What would be the point?"

"It's hope," Armin shrugged, looking Annie deep in the eyes with as much sincerity as he could.

"There is no hope for me," Annie said clearly, obviously convinced of what she was saying. "I only want to be rid of all this. The only thing I want is a quiet life, a life that would fit a weak person like me. But I can't have that. Not anymore." She finished in a defeated whisper and Armin's heart ached for the petite girl next to him.

"I will make sure you can."

The two locked eyes briefly before they simultaneously leaned in to kiss each other clumsily, desperately for the first time just as the sun finally set.