WHOLLY CARP PAGE BREAKS~! (Because this would make no sense without them :P)

Hey btw...I'm taking request for Oneshots of the Rageful, Deranged and Overprotective if you want to skidaddle on over there :D

"…so that's everything?" Reiner asked carefully, taking Annie's hand.

Annie refused to let any emotion show. "Yes," she replied, "I…I trusted him—we all did. He just…I don't know. I just don't know."

Bertoldt stood and made his way to the kitchen.

"Bertl?" Reiner asked, "What are you doing?"

"Calling the police," he replied simply, picking up the home phone.

The blonde girl's heart shattered. "W-wait!" she cried out, "Please—please don't—"

"Bertl, let's talk this over," Reiner tried, "This is a very complex situation—"

"She let a monster into our house," Bertoldt almost growled, "It doesn't deserve to live. I have a chance to put it down for good and I'm not going to waste it."

"Bertoldt wait!" Annie shouted again, yanking the phone out of his grasp. "You don't understand! He—he has a traumatic past, and locking him up in that asylum didn't do anything for him! He—he just wants to be free—"

The stare Bertoldt gave her made it difficult for her to breathe.

"You didn't watch him rip someone's throat out with his teeth," he snarled, "This is what happens when he's free—people die horribly. He needs to be put down like the animal he is."

"You haven't even tried to understand—"

"Why should I try to understand!?" Bertoldt demanded, "He's a cold blooded killer who doesn't give a damn about anyone! No…he's the devil himself."

Annie couldn't move as Bertoldt took the phone from her. "If they don't kill him," he said, "Then I will."

"Bertoldt," Reiner said cautiously, "Put the damn phone down."

"Why?!" Bertoldt asked, "Why are you on its side!? I told you what happened just a few days ago—Armin Arlert doesn't deserve to live!"

There was a frightening tone of finality after he spoke his name. Bertoldt was actually serious.

"But what about Annie?" he tried, "He hasn't laid a finger on her. Hell, he had promised that he'd—"

"Then why is he running around killing people now?" Bertoldt sneered, "Why does he keep on targeting Mikasa over and over again? Why—"

"Mikasa killed his only living relative!" Annie exploded, "He'd kill Amber if he had the chance—this was her fault to begin with! He was abused and used, and—and—"

"And why does that translate into killing people?" the tall brunette asked, "Oh wait, I know—because he 'can't'!"

Suddenly it looked like Reiner understood. "Exactly," he said, "I mean, look at it this way—he's been feeling weak and useless, and then he…well, snaps, and then he starts killing the people who make him feel weak."

Bertoldt didn't look like he was buying it one bit. "And the random innocents he's killed? Why'd he—"

"Because he's suffering from sort of 'dual reality disorder' or whatever the hell it's called," Annie replied, "He…he's seeing things, at least, he had for a time—I'm not sure if it's because his mind wanted to give the blame to something else or if there's something more, I don't know…"

Ghosts make wonderful companions, don't you think?

"…he knows he's a bad person," she continued, her mind running at light speed. "He…he's used to being alone and having no one to account for his actions—but then I was nice to him that one day and then everyone else did, so he started trying to repress his desire to kill. But when he was alone for too long, the desire to kill ended consuming him due to the need to escape. That would probably explain the innocents he keeps…killing."

The two men were silent, no doubt contemplating her answer.

"…fine," Bertoldt said, putting down the receiver. "I won't call the police. But he will not stay here—not when there's still the slightest risk of him hurting you."

"He won't," Annie confirmed, "in fact, he saved me, remember? If it wasn't for him, DD would have killed me for sure—but for some reason everyone keeps on forgetting that."

"I'm sorry Annie," the tall brunette apologized, "But I can't budge on this. I can't have him here—I won't."

Reiner scratched his head. "Well…it's her house, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," Annie replied, "but…I'll have to talk to Marco about it."

Right as she said that, the doorbell rang.

A few hours earlier…

"You sure heal fast," the doctor commented, checking the monitors. "I actually think you'll be able to talk soon…"

Mikasa didn't say anything as she stared out the window. A superstitious part of her was terrified. This was the same exact hospital—no, the same exact room—she was sent to the last time she was attacked by Armin last.

Monsters aren't afraid of anything, right?

Barely noticing the doctor leaving, the brunette girl contemplated the blonde. Every time he tries to kill her she sees him as a demon, but the last time they spoke…

I feel like we're somewhat alike.

She decided that he was more like a beast than a monster—monsters don't feel, but beasts do. As much as she doesn't like to admit it, Eren's a beast—he's shown that he's willing to kill. It's the reasoning behind it that matters—the problem is, what's Armin's reason?

Have you ever stopped and wondered what made him that way?

"Hmm…" Mikasa looked down at her rough, delicate hands. She was starting to feel dizzy, but she was feeling even more stubborn. Reaching over, she lowered the morphine level to clear her head. Her throat protested, but she ignored it.

However, she couldn't ignore the person standing in the corner of the room.

Mikasa sat up slowly, not taking her eyes off them. Her senses must have been dulled by the pain medication, she thinks as she gives the person another once over—a white hoodie covered their face, but shoulder-length blonde hair fell into view.

That's when she recognized him.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," Armin murmured, absentmindedly playing with a strand of his hair. "…though it's my fault, isn't it?"

She still couldn't see his face, but she couldn't miss the melancholy in his voice. "Not…exactly," she replied, "last time…I had it coming."

At that the blonde looked up, blue eyes filled with pain. "Well actually," he said, "That…is debatable."

Let's see who the real monster is.

"No," Mikasa said resolutely, "I…I owe you an apology. It…it won't be enough—it'll never be enough, but…"

She trailed off at the tears in his eyes. "W…why?" he asked, "Why…are you apologizing? I-I hurt your brother—I hurt you—so many times…killed so many people…"

"This is why," she said simply, nodding to him. "You're not a monster, but a beast."

Armin sniffed and wiped his eyes, not meeting hers. "Because that makes me feel so much better," he muttered, smiling slightly.

"It should," Mikasa replied, "You…you can still feel. I don't know why you kill or how you came to kill, but you still have feelings."

The blonde then looked up at her, causing her to look away. "It's true," she mumbled, "I mean…why else would you hate me so much?"

"I-I don't…" Armin trailed off uncertainly, looking away.

"Don't lie," Mikasa said, "I mean…I…I killed your grandfather. And I'm sorry."

That…wasn't how that was supposed to go, Mikasa thought ruefully as a billion different emotions flickered across Armin's face. He was unpredictable, and now she might have just triggered something…

And then he laughed.

"You…you are really trying," he said, wiping his eyes. "Wow…"

Shaking her head, Mikasa persisted. "The first time you hurt me…Annie sent you after me, right?"

Just like that, the laughter stopped.

"…no," he replied, looking down. "But…she might have had something to do with it."

Mikasa's eyes furrowed. "She hinted at—"

"Before I continue," Armin said, "I need you to promise something. Whatever goes on in this room stays in this room. If you tell another living soul about this by any means, then I promise on my grandfather's grave that Eren will suffer infinitely more than you ever will."

Shivers ran down the woman's spine. "F-fine," she said, "O-only if you answer all of my questions."

At that, Armin smiled. "Deal."

Mikasa smiled as well. "First, tell me your back story—I'll tell you mine after."

When they were finished speaking, the sun had begun to set.

"Wow…" Mikasa said, "I…I don't get you at all."

"We've been talking for over three hours and you haven't learned anything?" Armin asked, face flushing. "How is that even possible?"

The woman laughed weakly, her throat starting to give in after so much use.

Armin then pulled out a notepad and paper, handing it to her. "I…I figured you'd need this," he said, "I'm actually surprised that…that you can speak."

Mikasa shrugged, taking the pen and paper and writing on it. After a few minutes, the blonde started to look restless.

"Hey," he said, "what are you writing, a poem? I need to get back before your doctor comes back to check up on you again."

All she did was hold up a finger as she wrote furiously, two, three, four pages filling up in the blink of an eye.

"Forget a poem," he muttered, "This is turning into a damn novel…"

Eight, nine, ten pages later, Mikasa was satisfied with her work, clamping it shut and handing it back.

"Oh…okay…?" he said uncertainly, cocking his head to the side as he opened it.

"N…not…here," she tried, "L…la….ter…"

Armin sighed and closed it. "I see," he said, "I'll read it, I promise. I won't let anyone else see it either."

Mikasa nodded in approval, coughing slightly.

"Well no wonder you sound like you sound like six packs a day," Armin said, "your morphine is shut off!"

Mikasa nodded knowingly, though she didn't resist as he turned it back up again. "There you go," he said, "I…I guess I'll…see you later?"

She nodded again.

The blonde smiled sadly. "I…nevermind," he said, shaking his head. "I need to go."

With that, he vanished right as Eren walked in.

"Eren…!" Mikasa tried to shout happily, though all that came out was air.

"Don't push yourself," he said quietly, lying her back down. "But I have a question to ask."

Mikasa cocked her head to the side in confusion.

Eren looked down at the ground, then back up at her in a way that made her blood run cold.

"…Why was Armin Arlert in here?"