WARNING: Spoilers up to chapter 125!
Girl Talk
"I don't understand why you had three dates with that guy if he was so boring" Annie said "Because of money?"
"…" Hitch didn't answer, just kept staring straight ahead.
"I could understand that, actually. Money makes life easier" the blond says "Who wouldn't want an easy life!"
"…"
"But what about that guy from the Garrison? The freakishly tall one, what was his deal?" Annie asks again "Did you think that another soldier wouldn't have a problem with your rather dangerous job?"
"…"
"Not that it's always that easy; didn't that other Garrison soldier dump you because you're in the MPs and he couldn't get in?" Annie brushed her hair behind her ear "Petty."
"Why are you bringing these up?" Hitch finally asks as a blush covers her face. With a shrug, Annie says: "You're the one who told me all this."
"I didn't know you could hear me!"
"So, you were babbling on and on about boys in the basement of your workplace, assuming no one could hear you?" Annie asks, raising an eyebrow "Well, I suppose everyone needs a hobby."
Hitch groaned, urging the horse they were riding to go faster. The sooner she got rid of Annie, the better.
"What happened with that banker again?" Annie asked, but Hitch did her best to ignore her "Oh yeah, that asshole actually had a wife, with a child on the way no less. Think they're still together?"
"Don't know, don't care" Hitch spat, knowing that she shouldn't have answered but, in a way, it was tempting. Four years ago, while they were still roommates, Hitch had been continuously trying to get Annie to talk about these things with her. After all these years, she finally knew for sure that it had been a mistake "You were never this chatty before."
"I've kept my mouth shut for four years; I have some catching up to do" Annie replied "And you're the one who chose the topic."
Hitch just rolled her eyes.
"How about Boris?"
"What about him- ah" Hitch understood, wrinkling her nose "No."
"What's wrong with him?"
"If you can't figure that out yourself, then you can date him"
"Fair enough" Annie said "You seem really close with Armin these days."
"It's not like that" Hitch denied "We keep spending time together because it's my job to watch over you and he keeps coming to see you."
"Are you sure about that?" Annie asks "Maybe I'm an excuse and he actually wants to spend time with you."
Hitch is looking ahead, but a slight blush is forming on her face. Annie can probably see it too.
"I highly doubt it" she denies again "And even if he was, I'm not interested."
"Why not?"
"He's way too gloomy" Hitch paused "And brutal; it's like he can completely set aside his human side while on duty."
"That's what it means to be a good soldier" Annie pointed out "In the front lines, at least."
"Was that a jab at the lazy MPs?" Hitch asks, already knowing the answer. Sighing, she says: "I prefer this job; the morally hard decisions tend to fall on the scouts."
"As does the blame, yet the merit often comes to the MPs" Annie said "That hasn't changed, has it?"
"No"
Silence. For a moment, Hitch thought Annie had finally gotten bored of the topic.
"Then what about Jean?" apparently not "He still struggles with right and wrong, does he not?"
"I suppose he does" Hitch said "It's not like there's anything wrong with that guy. I just- "
Hitch froze midsentence, realizing what Annie had almost managed to get her to say.
"You just what?" Annie asked, and Hitch could just feel the smirk in her voice.
"Nothing" she said firmly, trying to ignore the fact that her face was rapidly reddening. Forcing the horse to pick up speed again, she said: "We should hurry."
She couldn't let Annie to coax her in to talking anymore. She wasn't risking her reputation. But…
"I suppose this is what it'd been like had I gotten her to join me all those years ago."
Still, she had to fight the urge to just push the shorter blond off of the horse.