Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Dread was the first feeling Krista felt the minute they entered city limits. It was encompassing, consuming and was accompanied by the sinking of her stomach. It was the most unpleasant feeling she'd ever had the displeasure of experiencing. Beside her, Ymir was sound asleep, snoring lightly. Krista allowed herself to smile, watching the peaceful expression on her friend's face. It was rare to see Ymir display such a face, as the girl usually had an annoyed scowl or blank gaze. It was nice.
Krista gently brushed a lock of hair behind Ymir's ear and shook her shoulder. Ymir groaned and turned away, frowning. Krista frowned as well and shook her harder.
"Ymir," she muttered, "Ymir!"
The brunette opened her eyes and flashed a look of annoyance at the blonde. She sighed and straightened, putting on her cool mask of indifference. She took out her ear plugs and shoved them in her pocket. Krista pulled back and pointed at the familiar landscape. Ymir nodded and crossed her arms. She looked disappointed, what with the slightest downturn of her lips and even that small pout.
"Are you pouting?" Krista giggled.
"No," Ymir snapped, pulling her lips back into a snarl.
"You look so disappointed that we're back!" Krista laughed.
"Trust me, I'm jumping for joy on the inside," she grumbled in response.
Krista giggled once more and turned to Sasha. The girl was snoozing peacefully against Mikasa's shoulder, and it seemed the athlete didn't have the heart to wake her. She appeared content, judging by the small smile on her lips.
Armin was asleep as well, slumped in his seat with a book over his chest. Eren was leaning over his seat and talking to Annie, who remained in her position and simply turned her head to answer his questions. Connie was awake, looking out the window. Krista leaned forward and tapped his shoulder.
"Hey, Connie!"
Connie appeared startled but smiled warmly. "Hey."
"You looked lonely, I just wanted to talk."
"I did, didn't I? The truth is, I'm just nervous."
"Nervous? Why?"
"Well I really miss my folks. You see, I've been surrounded by family and friends all my life. I'm not from here, originally. I came here from a small town way back when I was a kid. I'm just so used to family that this trip wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it'd be. Don't get me wrong, I had fun, I just miss my pa and ma."
Krista remained quiet, contemplating. There were all sorts of thoughts running through her mind, regarding her own family and her relationship with her parents. She missed her father most of all, but she didn't miss the atmosphere she was going back to. She did not regret going on this trip, only that it was over and she'd be back in a house that was no longer her home.
She smiled. "That's sweet."
Connie blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Y-yeah it's childish though, huh? I mean I'm a teenager and–"
"No," Krista interrupted, "it's not childish. You can miss your parents and still be mature. It just means you love them just as much as they love you."
Connie nodded and was about to say something when the bus stopped. He looked out the window and grinned. Outside, there was a family van parked with a man and woman standing in front of it, waving wildly. There were also little children jumping and shouting from within the car. Krista's heart melted at the sight and she laughed in delight. Ymir glanced at her from the side and detected the undertones of sadness and envy.
Keith stood and motioned for Eren to call Levi. The short man was sleeping in the back with his novel over his face. With a grin, Eren squeezed past Armin and approached Levi. He lightly grabbed the paperback from Levi's face and prepared to hit him with it. Annie shook her head in amusement, already predicting the outcome.
The second Eren moved to slam the novel, Levi leapt up, grabbed Eren's wrist, snatched the book, twisted Eren's arm behind him and slammed the book on his head. Eren fumed and stomped his foot in anger.
"What the hell!" he shouted.
"Stop fucking around, Jaegar, and get back to your seat," Levi whispered threateningly.
Eren sighed and nodded, Levi letting go of him and brushing past him to stand next to Keith. The bigger man kept his gaze forward and tried hard not to smirk. Eren sat in his place and slumped forward, muttering to himself. Armin, now awake, patted his back in comfort while Annie's shoulders shook from restraining her laughter. Mikasa seethed and glared at the back of the short man's head.
"Did you tell him to do that?" Levi asked Keith stoically.
"Yes," he answered confidently.
Levi crossed his arms and pulled his upper lip back in a sneer. "Well, fuck you. I hope one day when you take a shit it gets stuck no matter how hard you try to push."
Keith pursed his lips as the students erupted in laughter. He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed deeply to calm himself. Once the laughter died down, he decided to address the teens.
"I hope you enjoyed yourselves on the trip, you damn freeloaders. School is back in four weeks, so prepare yourselves for hell. That is all."
"What Keith forgot to add," Levi continued, annoyed, "is that we will stay here with you until you have a ride or you leave. We hope you have a great vacation. That's how you do it."
Keith rolled his eyes and stepped off the bus, thanking the driver on the way out. Levi followed suit, without the eye roll, and helped the big man open the storage on the side of the bus. Students stood and Ymir and Krista repeated what they did last time: waiting for the other teens to grab their stuff before moving.
As they waited, Krista noticed that her parents were nowhere to be seen. She sighed, knowing she'd have to take the bus. She hoped that her father at least would have been able to drive her since she was exhausted and... Oh? Krista squinted and noticed a black sedan with tinted windows. There were two men who looked oddly familiar, but she couldn't place her finger on it. They held a sign with her name on it. Ymir seemed to notice as well and narrowed her eyes. Krista found the expression on her face strangely nostalgic: distrusting, suspicious, menacing; it reminded her of the first time they met. If such a look was directed at those men, what could it possibly mean? Who were they?
Ymir gripped her wrist tightly as they walked off the bus. Krista thanked the driver hurriedly while Ymir pulled her along. Her body stance was rigid, firm, stiff, protective – what in the world was going on?
"Don't go with them, Krista," Ymir muttered lowly, "just trust me, they're bad news."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I can't explain it now."
"Ymir?"
"Grab your stuff and follow my lead."
"Okay, Ymir, I trust you."
Ymir grunted in reply and they grabbed their luggage. With a wave toward her friends, Krista was dragged to the black sedan. Ymir didn't let go of her wrist even as they stood there and one of the men prepared to take the suitcase away from Krista. She growled and he backed off, slightly startled. The adults looked at each other and shrugged.
"I've seen you two morons before," Ymir started, "at the resort. What the fuck did you two think you were doing, trailing around Krista like that?"
Krista's eyes widened at Ymir's words and she stepped behind her in fear. Ymir glanced at her but returned her solid glare to the two adults in front of her. The blonde was reeling in shock, wondering at the sudden development. These two men had followed her? But why? Now that she thought about it, she did recognize one of them as the man she'd bumped into this morning, but what was his purpose, exactly? She wrenched her wrist from Ymir's grip and instead clung to the back of her sweater. She was scared of what these two wanted, and rightfully so.
Ymir's expression softened slightly at Krista's grip but she hardened her gaze once more. "Well? Are you gonna answer me or not?"
One of them, a man with greying hair and a thin moustache, came forth, inclining his head confidently. "You have quite the tongue, young lady. I had no idea such an uncouth individual as you would be acquainted with Miss Reiss."
"Reiss? Who the–"
"Oh! How cute. You do not even know your most precious friend's real name? And here I thought trust was the foundation of friendship. Is that not so, Miss Reiss?"
Krista bowed her head, clenching Ymir's clothes tighter. Ymir's figure trembled slightly but she regained her calm. No sense blowing up at two old men, especially with the teachers around.
"That wasn't my question. What I asked was, and I will repeat, word for fucking word, what the fuck did you think you two were doing, trailing around Krista like that?"
"It is not what we thought we were doing, but rather what we were assigned. You see, Miss Reiss' father is quite an important figure in the world of trade, thus his wife has entrusted us with the task of watching over his daughter while on her trip. Apparently, she had no need – you are quite the protective friend."
"I had absolutely no reason to be protective until you two came along."
The man laughed. "Quite. Now, if you will, Miss Reiss, please enter the car and we will drive you home, safely."
Krista was confused, angry and scared. She didn't know what to do. Her mother didn't trust her enough to send her alone on a closely-guarded trip, and she had now come to terms with the fact that she didn't trust Ymir enough to confess her true identity. Ymir hadn't reacted much, and Krista was taken back to the time when they were in her apartment.
"It's your call, Historia Reiss."
Did she already know? Was she simply playing dumb and waiting for Krista to confess? Or was she trying to get a rise out of her? Whatever it was, she was sure Ymir's suspicions were already confirmed with the man's words, but that didn't ease the horrible sensation in her stomach. What now? Does she go with her 'bodyguards' or stay with Ymir? She'd likely have to face hell either way – extreme questioning from both sides – so the question was: which one would be more bearable? Krista tightened her fists in Ymir's sweater and shook her head 'no'.
"Oh, come now, do not be like that, Miss Reiss. Surely you would trust two people who know your identity and family more than this street urchin?"
"I…" Krista licked her dry lips and raised her head, "I trust Ymir more than you think."
Ymir pressed her lips together to fight off a grin. She wanted to laugh so bad at the look on his face but restrained herself. "Listen, Krista, I think we should leave these assholes and just go back to my place. Whaddya say?"
Krista nodded and smiled, releasing her grip and stepping back. The men said nothing, but the first one crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes in defiance.
"No, Miss Reiss, you shall abide by your moth– father's rules like a good heiress or you will face the consequences. Do not think this will go unpunished."
"Are you threatening her?"
"Not at all, but if she goes with you, expect the Garrison at your front door in no less than two hours."
Krista gasped and put her hands to her mouth. "No, Ymir! I'll go with them. I think they're telling the truth so it's okay, I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, just go home."
"What the hell is wrong with you? We have an assignment due when we get back, and if you go missing, I'll be stuck alone with the goddamn project for the rest of the goddamn year. No, Krista, I'm coming with you and that's that."
"But–"
"Shut up, you have no say in this. Alright, losers, it's either both of us or none of us. I'm willing to call you out on your Garrison bluff so let's go already."
The bodyguards looked at each other and sighed, relenting. They allowed the two girls to enter the back seat of the sedan and entered the front seat themselves. It was tense, quiet and awkward. Krista couldn't stop fidgeting. Ymir would finally see where she lived, and she was sure she'd be bombarded with questions by now. However, Ymir was quietly brooding, staring out the tinted window with tired eyes. Krista felt sorry for having dragged her into this mess and placed her hand on her shoulder. The brunette glanced back at her but returned her gaze to the rushing landscape.
"What is it?"
"I'm sorry for bringing you into this."
"If all you're gonna do is apologize then I don't wanna hear it."
Krista flinched and pulled away, sighing and wringing her hands. "Will you at least accept my gratitude, then? Thank you for defending me back there, Ymir."
The tall girl didn't answer but nodded ever so slightly. Krista smiled and leaned back. The rest of the ride passed by in silence, and when the car pulled up by the tall house, Ymir spared it not a second glance as she let herself out. Her behaviour was starting to get to Krista. She acted as though she'd already seen an expensive mansion and like she already knew what to expect. Did she really know about Krista's real name before all of this? Or was she simply not impressed? She was so hard to figure out when she kept her expression blank; Krista didn't know what to do.
"Well, home sweet home," Ymir muttered. Krista didn't respond. The tall brunette shoved her fists into her pockets after swinging her sports bag over her shoulder. The man who spoke before took Krista's things and passed them to a maid inside. He returned with a gentle, but fake, smile.
"Miss Reiss, your mother would like to see you now," he explained. He glanced at Ymir and rolled his eyes in disgust, "do you plan on bringing that street trash in as well?"
"She's not trash!" Krista shouted. He widened his eyes and stepped back. She gasped softly and bowed her head. "I mean, please don't speak of her that way. I will go see my father now. I'll see you later, Ymir!"
Ymir raised a hand in farewell and turned on her heel. If she was quick she'd be able to catch the next bus to her home.
Yelling, yelling and more yelling. That was all Krista's brain could process with the way her mother was speaking with her. Well, she wasn't really speaking, per say, more like scolding and shouting and just being loud in general. All she knew was that she was in serious trouble for her actions. She stood with her head bowed, trembling with the effort to hold in her tears. All she knew was that her privileges had been revoked for two weeks, that she would no longer be allowed to accompany Ymir, her mother would absolutely make sure of it, and that her bus trips to and from school would be replaced with formal escorts. It was the worstway to end her field trip, and Krista was sure this was not the end of it.
She wondered what Ymir was doing. Probably walking into her home and regretting ever associating with her. All she'd done was bring the taller girl trouble, and it made her feel heavy with guilt. She'd hoped for a great school year, filled with friends, and fun outings and happiness, but all she got was a beautiful relationship ruined and more restrictions that tightened the noose around her neck. Figuratively, of course. Krista knew Ymir would never forgive her if she resorted to suicide. Despite her hate towards people other than herself, Ymir valued life greatly. She didn't appreciate fools sacrificing their lives left and right, saying that survival should be their priority, since life only came by once. You did not get to live a second time, and you should appreciate what you have now.
When Mrs. Reiss finally dismissed her, she trudged up to her room and locked her door behind her. She didn't have the energy to cry, so she opted to lay on her bed and sort her feelings through. Briefly, she noticed her luggage bag sitting against the wall. She approached it and knelt by the opened suitcase. There was a beautiful black dress poking through, which finally broke the dam in Krista's mind and allowed tears to spill down her cheeks. Of all her punishments, it was the prohibition of Ymir that got to her, that shot her heart and set it aflame.
Why was that? Why did this, out of all the restrictions placed on her freedom, bother her the most? Did she value Ymir's company more than her liberties? Yes, she did. She valued Ymir above all else, because the girl meant so much to her. She tore down her walls and learned what a bright and kind individual Ymir was. Behind her clouds of gloom and misery, there lay a tiny sun, shining and peeking through the rain. It was a painful journey, but Krista had managed to seize the sun and embrace the brunette's beautiful, hidden personality. Sure, she was a bit rough around the edges and could be a total bitch when she wanted to, but it was as clear as day that Ymir cared for her and appreciated her. It made Krista feel wanted, welcome. Sasha and Mikasa made her feel that as well, but with Ymir, things were different.
Different how? Well, for once, she didn't feel any physical attraction towards Mikasa and Sasha, but she did with Ymir. Something about the brunette's burning gaze and her scrawny, but powerful build made Krista warm to her core. Her freckles were cute, too, Krista admitted with a tearful giggle. She also didn't feel the need to defend Sasha and Mikasa as vehemently as she did with Ymir. She knew those two could take care of themselves but Ymir? No one but her would dare say a word in her defence, not that anyone wanted to, anyway. Ymir was pretty nasty to the other students.
Ymir was roughly delicate, like a rose guarded by thorns. Krista couldn't count the number of times she'd been pricked, but when she finally reached the petals of the gorgeous flower, the pain had ebbed away to proud tingles that kept her warm at night. It had taken time, effort and lots of patience, but the result was never what she'd ever imagined it to be.
She had fallen in love with Ymir.
Krista stayed in her room for the entire two-week 'grounding' session. She only left to retrieve food and water, but other than that, it was a time for reflection, thought and planning. Her father had been absent for the last two weeks, apparently on a business trip. She couldn't live here anymore, that much she knew. It only served to destroy her further, and Krista didn't want that. She valued her life, even more so now that she had realized her true feelings for Ymir. How ironic was it that it was only when they were ripped apart did she finally come to terms she was romantically attracted to her. She missed her crude humour and harsh teasing. It was exciting to bicker with Ymir, it filled her with adrenalin, but more than that, it filled her with purpose. She had a purpose with Ymir, she was wanted, unlike in her household. She loved her Dad more than anything, but he was always absent, always busy. She was warm with Ymir and cold at home. She was tired of being cold; she wanted to hold Ymir's sun in her palms and bask in her warmth.
She lay in bed, contemplating, thinking, pondering – what was she supposed to do? She had no freedom, no money, no independence. She knew nothing of the outside world, she would never be able to survive. How could she possibly expect to survive in the real world when she'd been sheltered all her life? It was unrealistic, and if there was something Krista learned from Ymir, it was to be as realistic as possible when it concerned long-term plans. That and to never, ever expect things to go as you want them.
All these thoughts swirled around her head until she finally decided she had enough and stood to clear her mind. The little blonde walked to her window and slip it up to open it. The sun was setting, and Krista was taken aback by its beauty. The colours melded into each other: pink, orange, red, yellow, as the sun slowly, almost painfully lowered its head over the horizon. She vaguely remembered a statistic from Armin, explaining that the sun's light took eight minutes to reach Earth. It was fascinating, surreal and overwhelming all at once. She could only imagine the beauty of a sunrise if a sunset was this gorgeous.
With a deep breath of air in her lungs, Krista closed the window and set about to packing her things. She could not stay here any longer, and she could always enlist Ymir's help if things got too tough. Maybe if she didn't hate her they could even live together? The thought made Krista blush but she shook her head to wipe it away. Her time in Ymir's apartment came back to her and she could almost feel the fabric of Ymir's clothing on her skin, relaxing her, comforting her – it made her feel falsely secure, trapped in a time she wished was forever.
It scared her, how much she'd come to depend on Ymir. But being stuck in a room for two weeks made her think heavily and reflect on what truly mattered to her. Stay in a house that was no longer her home? Or be with the one person who accepted her and protected her? The choice was ridiculously easy. However, the means to do so would be difficult. She stopped packing her things when the thought came to her. Her parents knew of Ymir's existence and influence in her life already, so what would stop them if the only heir to Mr. Reiss' company left to live with another person? There was only one answer: nothing. Nothing would stop them from clawing their way into the police ranks, snatching Krista back and ruining Ymir's life.
Krista understood then what Ymir meant. She needed to be realistic, and think things through. She shouldn't run away from her problems but face them head on. That was the only true way to get past all of her obstacles and never have to worry about them again. But how? How did one face their obstacles head on, despite the danger they may face? What should she do? What should she say? It was too much for her and Krista sighed as she sat down on her bed. This was far too difficult to think through and she was getting nowhere with her circular logic. As soon as she brought up a solution, another problem rose that was linked to something else. Her obstacles were so tightly woven together she was convinced it was more of a web of problems than a straight line.
Tick, tick
"What was that?" Krista muttered. She opened her door a tiny bit and peeked through. There was nothing there. She closed the door and frowned, leaning against it. By now, the sun had already set and it was fast approaching dark. So absorbed in her thoughts, she barely noticed the passing of time. The thought made Krista giggle and shake her head.
Tick, tick
"Again with the ticking," she sighed. She looked around her room but could find no immediate cause. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the noise come faintly from beside her and glanced at the window in confusion. Her window was ticking? She approached it and placed her palm against it. Just then, a pebble came against the cool surface from the outside, followed by another.
Tick, tick
"Aha!" Krista exclaimed. She pulled open her window and leaned above it heavily. Immediately, an annoyed hiss came from a shadow below.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing? You're gonna fall right out!"
"Ymir?" Krista asked in disbelief. Was it her? Was it really– yep, that glare couldn't belong to anyone but Ymir. She gripped the windowsill tightly and squinted her eyes. It was dark, but the light from the moon allowed her to make out that ferocious glare and the line of freckles right under. Krista looked around and spotted a bunch of vines beside her window leading down.
"Why don't you climb these vines?"
"Do you think this is a fucking movie, Krista? There's no way that's gonna work. Tie up your bed sheets and send them down, just remember to hold onto one end while I climb the other."
"Okay." Heart pounding and feeling slightly dazed, Krista obeyed Ymir and pulled off her bed sheets and any other kind of sheets she could find. She stretched and tied them together, sending them over the edge of the window. She grabbed onto one end tightly, like Ymir said, and watched the tall girl test the makeshift rope before climbing. Krista grunted with the effort but held on for Ymir. Finally, when she saw the brunette's head peek above the windowsill and throw her arms over it, she let go of the sheets and pulled Ymir into her room.
The brunette was panting lightly and leaning back against the wall beside the window. When she caught her breath, she stood straight and crossed her arms, observing the room. Krista fidgeted nervously in anticipation and tried to calm her racing heart. Ymir was here! In her room! Unbelievable, that's what this was. Secretly, Krista reached under her elbow, pinched her side and yelped in pain. Ymir gave her an amused look before sitting down on her bed.
"Nice place you got here," she commented.
Krista nodded. "I guess it's nice."
Ymir frowned at her tone but sighed, standing up. "Well, I didn't come here to compliment your room. I came here to see if you were alive or not, since you haven't called me in two weeks. Now that I know, it's time for me to go."
"Wait!"
"What is it?"
"You're just going to leave? That's it?"
Ymir shrugged, looking around. "Well, yeah. Why? Did you need some– oh, I see how it is." Ymir smirked, leaning closer to Krista. She put her face directly in front of the blonde's and hooded her eyes. It was almost seductive and Krista blushed heavily, eyes wide.
"You want some fun time with good ol' Ymir, dontcha?" she whispered.
"I…"
"What's wrong? Cat's got your tongue?"
"…"
Ymir's expression suddenly changed from seductive to highly amused, mouth quivering from holding in her laughter. She leaned back and covered her mouth, shoulders shaking from ill-hidden mirth. Krista frowned and stomped her foot. Ymir hunched over, arms holding her stomach and she made a spitting noise from between her lips.
"I wish you coulda seen your expression! Oh, that was— ahaha!" she laughed. Krista crossed her arms and grit her teeth. Always! She was always teasing her like this, and it hurt even more, now that she actually wanted to do it and Ymir kept playing her like a game. She approached Ymir but didn't have the heart to hurt her. She was extremely upset so she simply left the laughing girl on the ground and sat on her bed. Ymir picked up on her mood and stopped her laughter. She crawled over to her and softly sat next to her, tilting her head in confusion.
"What? You're not gonna hurt me?" Ymir tried, fingers twitching in reflex. Krista shook her head no, and played with the hem of her shirt. Ymir rolled her eyes and sighed, looking around. Suddenly, she stood and approached a carrying bag half packed.
"What the hell is this?" she asked harshly, pointing down.
Krista flinched but refused to look at Ymir. "It's a bag packed with clothes and other stuff," she answered.
"So, are you planning on running away?"
"No."
"Then why?"
"I was! I was going to run away, but I decided not to, if only to give you a better life!"
Ymir appeared shocked but she pressed her lips together, frowning. "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what you think it means, Ymir. I'm tired of running away and causing you problems. It's time I left you alone and sorted this out myself!"
"And what good will that do you?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to tell you to stop being a helpful little angel and be selfish for once. Do what you want, not what others want."
"I don't understand."
Ymir scoffed and walked to the window. "Forget it, I'm outta here."
"No, Ymir!" Krista rushed forth and grabbed her wrist. Ymir glanced down, annoyed, but paused at the glistening tears sitting in Krista's eyes. The blonde took a shuddering breath and looked down, cheeks tinted red.
"No one checks on me when I'm in here. Could you listen to my selfish request and stay here, with me?"
Ymir kept her face devoid of expression as she thought it over. She stared out the window and, without looking down, gently moved her wrist so that her hand was in Krista's. The blonde gasped softly, but smiled warmly. She pulled her over to the bed and they both sat on the edge. Ymir refused to look at her as she pulled her hand away and scooted closer to the headboard. She turned around, back facing Krista, and closed her eyes. Krista was torn between sleeping next to her or following her lead and turning her back. However, she decided she had taken too many chances tonight and opted to sleep with her back facing Ymir on the other pillow.
As her breath evened out, she didn't notice Ymir gaze at her almost painfully before returning to her previous position and falling asleep.
Morning came by, and Ymir was the first to wake, having not really slept much. It was still dark, so she hoped to quickly sneak out and leave before Krista could notice. She slowly got out of bed and stood, laying her feet down gently on the carpeted floor. Unfortunately, she slept in her shoes but luckily Krista hadn't noticed. Ymir winced as she looked down at the mattress. Well, she would now.
Just as she reached the window a groan stopped her in her tracks.
"Ymir? Where," Krista yawned, rubbing her eyes, "where ya going?"
Ymir clenched her jaw, crossing her arms. Krista was just too cute, sitting there rubbing her eyes and yawning like she was some sort of kitten. An adorable kitten, with whiskers and soft little ears...
Ymir put a hand to cover her face and hide her blush. Krista tilted her head and smiled sleepily. Her hair was messy and her face tired but to Ymir she looked absolutely gorgeous. She didn't know if she'd be able to control herself much longer so she put a hand to the windowsill and turned away.
"I'm going home. I only agreed to stay the night, and that's it. Go back to sleep, call me later if you can."
Ymir looked down the window and flinched at the height, but decided to risk it anyway. She jumped down and performed a somersault to lessen the impact. It wasn't perfect but it did prevent too much damage. She looked up and noticed Krista waving lazily from the window. A smile crept on her face as she lightly waved back and jogged off the Reiss' property.