FicWad

The year was 1844.

The two men showed up on a sunny day in June, clad in garments too plain to be royals, but too fine to be civilian wear. The first was older and small of stature, with black hair and dark, beady eyes. He much resembled a crow. The second was larger, quiet and sullen, and looked to be a few years younger than his companion. Annie had no clue as to what they wanted, but they gave off an air that kept her on the alert.

"Hello, sir. May we have a word with you?" the first began, and his voice was calm and as thin as his figure.

Her father was less than keen to entertain the discussion.

"Sorry. I'm not interested." He made to close the door. The thin man gave a subtle nod, and his companion reached forward and caught the door in mid-swing.

"I insist ― I'll have but a few minutes of your time."

Her father regarded the pair for a moment before he threw a sharp look to her. The message was clear: Stay inside.

Annie stepped into the house and he moved past her, closing the door in his stead. Curious, she pressed her ear to the door and strained to listen. She could make out her father's voice.

"What do you want, then?"

Annie could practically feel the other man's smile in his tone.

"Well, Mister Leonhardt, we've come to your house because we believe your daughter has potential."

Her father remained imperturbable. "For what, exactly?"

"For great things. We've heard quite a few tales from the locals."

There was a pause.

"I've no interest," her father said coldly.

"On the contrary, Mister Leonhardt, I think you'll find this to be an offer you can't refuse." The thin man's voice was cordial, but there was a danger lurking beneath his words. "We'll be back to run some tests next week. Your contribution is much appreciated."

They left shortly afterwards. Annie scrambled out of the way as the door opened again.

"Who were they?" she asked.

Her father shook his head.

"I don't know."

And she knew that was the end of that.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The same men did not return again; however, true to their word, it was a week later that another pair came back. The first was not noteworthy, studying her movements with quiet precision. The second man was a little more ordinary, brown haired, sporting a thin beard and dressed in a suit that displayed the beginnings of shabbiness, surveying the surroundings over thin spectacles, exuding a hint of warmth.

They conducted multiple tests over the course of two weeks. Agility, aptitude, endurance and the like.

So she ran. She fought. She demonstrated her techniques.

She could tell they were impressed as they discussed this with her father and left soon after.

"They've accepted you into their organization," he stated.

Annie did not fully understand the reason for his lack of enthusiasm until later.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Five days later, her life changed.

Annie woke to see moonlight shining through the window, illuminating a figure by her bedside. She looked up into the face of her father, obscured in shadow.

"This is the day," he said. "Get yourself ready, and we'll go."

She nodded. He left her without further information. Then again, Annie thought, that was not so unusual. What bothered her was his anxiety.

They departed from their home under cover of darkness, and walked down one of the main paths from their village. After a few minutes, and to Annie's surprise, they veered right off the path, moving directly through the forest until they came into a clearing. A carriage waited. The horse pulling it was black and hardy.

Her father broke the silence. "Do you remember the men who came a few months ago?" She nodded. At this, the man seemed to weaken, as if wishing he did not have to explain whatever he was concealing.

"Those folks are part of a group of people that can protect you." Annie stared at him.

"Protect me from what?" she asked. Her father took his time in responding.

"From the rest of us." he said finally.

She was quiet again.

"I was wrong about them, child." There was a quaver in his voice. "You must understand, I had no choice."

He was frightened.

"…Father?"

The man made a strange noise, quiet and strained. Slowly he faced her, dropping to his knees to take her by the shoulders.

"I won't ask you to forgive me for what I've brought upon you. Mankind will never understand what you are. They will hate you for it. But I swear that I will be on your side." His voice was cracking as he took her hand in his. "They told me there would be others like you. Other children. I want to think I've raised you to be able to handle yourself."

She was suddenly aware of a small object, cold and heavy in her palm. The ring.

Now he was holding her, unresponsive in his arms, mumbling over and over that he was sorry.

"Promise you'll come back to me."

The driver was in no hurry to escort her. He was probably used to these kinds of send-offs.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Once situated within the camp, her training began.

Seven months of preparation. Seven months of learning how to Shift, how to incorporate the blade in Father's ring into a fail-safe trigger and, above all, additional military instruction. They called it Turnen*.

During this period, she was approached by a couple of older Shifters. A boy by the name of Reiner Braun had made the mistake of trying to reach out to her, whereupon she ensured he would regret his decision by sending him hurtling over her shoulder, breaking his hand for good measure in the process. To her surprise and supreme anger, he had seemed greatly amused by this, and she was only grudgingly conscious of his mentioning her as "the new kid" at dinner.

Another boy, tall and dark haired, approached her the next day. He was a little more wary of her as he spoke.

"You're Annie, I take it? Reiner mentioned you yesterday." She did not acknowledge him.

"He can be a bit...direct." He smiled. "When you've known him as long as I have, it's really not that shocking." She felt him sit next to her. "I'm Bertholdt, by the way," he added.

She allowed him a glance, but nothing more.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The highlight of her experience occurred a month after her enlistment.

She was escorted to a separate building. The room was not unlike the rest of their dwellings; simple and comprised mainly of wood. A man stood over a table with his back turned to her, but she could not see what he was doing. As he turned around, she noticed he wore spectacles.

"Leonhardt, is it?" She blinked in surprise, and the man smiled. "My name is Doctor Jaeger. You might remember me from your examination a few days ago."

Annie did not reply. This was her practice, fortified by her father's betrayal and the awareness that the world was an enemy all its own. She merely watched as the man withdrew a syringe from his coat and filled it with a translucent liquid.

"This is something we give all the new recruits." he explained. "If you would hold out your arm for me."

The effects of this injection were soon apparent.

First came the heat. She was too hot, far too hot. Her skin burned, tinged pink. When she bolted from the room in a blind panic despite the doctor's protests and threw herself into the river, her body emitted profuse amounts of steam. She stared down at herself, trembling.

What have they done to me!?

Just then, the doctor caught up with her.

"It's all right!" he cried. "Your temperature will stabilize eventually! Calm yourself, it'll help speed up the process!"

She tried this. Annie found that he was right. The steam ceased, and she was left with thin burns all over her flesh, but otherwise, she seemed to have returned to some semblance of normalcy.

But the worst was yet to come.

Soon after this she was wracked with hellish pain. The heat returned to her, as well as a sensation like hundreds of tiny shards of glass sewn inside her body. She was pulled from where she had collapsed upon the riverbank and escorted her to one of the dorms, where she curled up on the mattress, quivering like a wounded animal, teeth clamped down on her sleeve to try and stifle her pitiful noises.

The doctor watched her grimly, accompanied by the two who had assisted her. "I'm afraid this is all part of the process." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, child. This should pass by tomorrow."

Annie made another strangled noise.

The pain ebbed, slowly and agonizingly through the night. It was not until the late afternoon that she was stable enough to learn who had helped her.

It was here that she, Bertholdt and Reiner started on their way to become real friends.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

At the end of these seven months, she was called by their superiors. She arrived, alone and more than suspicious at the abruptness of this assembly. Bertholdt and Reiner were already there. Reiner looked just as confused as she felt.

But this was only temporary, as they were soon informed that they were to undertake a mission.

"Find the Coordinate, and return."

The Coordinate, as they soon learned, was a way to control Titans. Doctor Jaeger had been instrumental in creating this ability.

This was all they were told.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day, chaos reigned. The Titans, the creatures of nightmares, had broken through Wall Maria.

Annie knew that this was only part of the plan; Bertholdt and Reiner were absent from the proceedings for the majority of the day.

But then the Titans broke into their camp as well. They were the elite. They were masters, they were Titan-Shifters, and they were completely unprepared for such a breach.

To call it a massacre would be an understatement.

She was one of the fortunate few who fled to the fields where Bertholdt and Reiner met up with her. Together, they worked for two years, always wondering about the Coordinate. Who had it? How would they transport it back?

For two years, they had no answers, and no one to turn to but each other. At the end of this period, the trio entered into the Military Academy.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

It was upon the second year of their enlistment that Annie was actually introduced to the boy―though perhaps introduced was not the proper word. In truth, she had more or less sent him sprawling. He had not strictly been asking for it, but he had been in close enough proximity to Reiner, and Reiner had definitely been asking for it. Once both had been sufficiently dealt with, she straightened up, slightly winded.

Eren commented upon her technique, and when she told him it didn't matter anyway he stared at her, apparently unable to comprehend the fact that the entire process was, in her opinion, quite unnecessary. A small part of her found his naiveté amusing.

As the hours passed and tedium settled in, she took to studying him. He was easy to read, even easier to defeat and astonishingly hot–headed. This ensured her a steady stream of takedowns that became increasingly violent in accordance with her exasperation (overpowering the boy was ridiculously straightforward even without the enthusiastic whoops of their fellow trainees). But what the boy lacked in skill was made up for in a near inexhaustible source of tenacity and a cheerful disposition, which was surprising considering the amount of times he was bested none too gracefully by her hand.

It was not long after this string of defeats that she realized he wanted to learn from her; and his exuberance, once annoying, now became insufferable, but if she was fiercely determined to deny him, he was just as determined to be trained, and by the end of the fourth session out in the field Annie found that she had little incentive to keep this game up. Perhaps if she humored him, he would be satisfied, learn to take a hint and leave her be.

To her increased dismay, this act of grudging acceptance on her part only seemed to spur him on to try even harder, and as hours became days she was slowly pressed to recognize that, reckless as he was, he was learning. It was not a groundbreaking change; she bested him more often than not, but trial and error had taught him to anticipate her blows. This was somewhat encouraging.

Annie wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he had made notable progress, of course, and in a sense, she didn't need to; there was something in the way his eyes shone that told her that he understood quite plainly, whether she wanted him to or not.

Upon realizing this, Annie experienced a small twinge of annoyance and something else she could not bring herself to think about, then the urge to punch something; preferably Reiner, or him, for that matter. She did not like this boy. She could not afford to do so. Mina was a companion at most.

Yet he was different, inexplicably so.

He grinned triumphantly down at her, then gave a yelp of pain as she floored him.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The ensuing summer months brought with them a strange escalation of tension. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of the mission looming ahead, perhaps Reiner's observation of her unusual behavior. The siege of Wall Maria felt as if it had transpired ages ago, and yet knowing this did nothing to ease her nerves.

"Hey!" The call jerked from her thoughts. She inclined her head as a form of greeting.

"What do you want, Jaeger?" Eren grinned.

"Need a partner?" There was an ease of which he said this, and she found herself simultaneously fascinated and somewhat envious at the extent of his ignorance, willful or otherwise.

"Is there any particular reason you're asking me?" At this, the boy seemed to falter, and he took an abrupt and rather petulant interest with the forest on the outskirts of the training field. This brought on a burst of satisfaction that would have been childish in any other situation; here, it felt strangely warranted.

"I―I wanted to train." Eren said shortly. Annie smirked despite herself.

"Is that so?" He tore his gaze from the trees and glared at her, still flustered. She gave him a thin, fleeting but genuine smile in return. "All right." For a moment, Eren seemed to take in what she had just said, then he blinked.

"Oh."

"Unless you've changed your mind?" Annie went on.

"Ah―no!" he said hastily. This was all the encouragement she needed.

"Come on, then."

___________________________________________________________________________________________

As the world around them died and the air became colder, reluctant curiosity blossomed into a strange and altogether disquieting fascination with the boy. Much to her annoyance, this newfound interest did not go unnoticed by her companions. But what else had she expected? The fascination lingered, unaddressed and unremitting, and was not given even the slightest acknowledgement until tonight, during which she was jolted from a particularly strange dream to find the ragged blanket wedged between her and her bunkmate, and a very ill–tempered Mina waiting for her on the other side. Her strained composure did little to hide the greater part of her exasperation as she hissed:

"You could just tell him, you know."

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Late–night training was her idea; a product of crushing boredom and increasingly unjustifiable dreams. Fending through the darkened training field was an acceptable alternative. She was not afraid. Her father had taught her from a very young age that fear was not her master.

Annie allowed herself the privilege of disquiet, nothing more. She chose not to dwell upon the suggestion that her thoughts remained pertinaciously fixed upon the boy with the green eyes and an inclination towards reckless behavior that had long since earned him the moniker of "suicidal bastard".

He was just a boy, after all. The mantra served as a temporary diversion as she wound her way through the shadows.

Just a boy.

Her mistake came one November evening. She got him alone upon the field, lured upon the pretense of training. In all honesty, it really had started out as nothing more than that.

And then she kissed him. (She came down far too quickly; there was an audible click of teeth, and she pulled away with a muffled curse). He neither returned the kiss, nor pushed her away. Annie wondered whether he was simply too surprised to react. In their world, there was a very thin line separating typical sparring from something else entirely and she had not crossed it, no, she had bounded spectacularly over it. An awkward pause settled in the wake of this unsuccessful attempt.

"I didn't startle you?" she asked finally.

He glanced up at her, apparently taken aback by the question. Then he muttered: "Uh...no."

And though her expression remained impassive, her spirits soared. "Good." She leant back over him, relishing in the fact that for once, nothing would interrupt them.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

As the bitter cold of winter approached, the weeks were a little less in doubt.

Regardless of the faintest trace of hope, it was this that marked the beginning of her descent.

For whatever small, promising instant they had shared was apparently for naught; it never went further and eventually Annie was forced, however begrudgingly, to conclude that Eren Jaeger was incapable of taking a hint, or else too hesitant to do so. Admitting this to herself brought nothing but a long–forgotten sting of burning disappointment, and the thought of Reiner's additional comments and Mina's apologetic smile only cemented that feeling.

So she found something in Bertholdt Hoover, and when the guilt returned to gnaw at her chest she simply told herself that this was a means to settling inconvenient urges; nothing more, nothing less. It was not necessarily right, but since when had that ever mattered?

It mattered because Bertholdt knew. He never said a word, never once gave the slightest inclination, but he looked at her and understood too much, understood that while he loved her and she needed to be loved, she did not love him. Yet he accepted this.

Of course, it was not long until it became clear that Eren had caught on. She did not question this new development, and likewise, he retained a determined silence in her presence. There was a sense of anger in his behavior, of confusion, and a host of other troublesome emotions, but above all there was resentment.

She cast a look of feigned concern his way, just to test his reaction. He shot her a particularly venomous glare in return, and she found herself thinking that this might have been humorous in any other situation. Now there was only grim satisfaction; indeed, she found his new behavior very reminiscent of his sister and her disapproving glances. Shortly after this thought occurred to her, Annie was struck with two sudden, equally reckless urges to either bring this revelation to his attention or to punch him.

She did neither of these things.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Nobody talked to her anymore. To be more precise, Mina had stopped talking to her. Of course, Annie never made it a point to converse with anyone; even so, this sudden dissolution of contact was not to be overlooked.

But she had done what Father had implored her to do.

Mankind will never understand what you are.

It came as a surprise to no one that Reiner would be the one to bring up the issue.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but you need to let this go if you want to have a chance at the top ten."

Of course he would not have the clarity of mind to recall why they were here in the first place. She felt the anger boil in her, white-hot. Her appearance was unaffected save for the slight, unmistakable stiffening of her shoulders. If he was too confused within his own guilt to recognize this, then it was his loss.

"You're a soldier, aren't you?"

He really didn't remember anything, did he? She didn't look at Bertholdt for confirmation. She didn't need to. Reiner sighed heavily.

"Look, kid, I understand that you're having a rough time. But you've got to get your act togeth―"

Something snapped within her through a display of violence unseen in years. It was as if she was eleven again, and he had made the indefensible error of laying a friendly hand on her shoulder. She wheeled around, grabbed him by the front of the shirt and slammed him down with all her might into the table to a chorale of cries and gasps from the other cadets.

They will hate you for it.

"Shut your mouth," she spat. Reiner grunted, seemingly unaffected by the blow, and more than anything else, thoroughly unimpressed.

The whole room was eerily silent. She would not bring herself to look at Bertholdt; she could feel their shocked gazes boring into her like knives. They were afraid of her, more so than they had been before, astounded by this anomalous display of emotion.

Are you happy, Father? I've done exactly what you asked me to.

It was with bitter constitution that Annie Leonhardt recognized that she had lost control.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Eren sought her out one cold afternoon. The snow was spread thin across the grounds, retreating with the promise of warmer weather.

"Annie?"

She denied him the pleasure of words, as per usual. This had been going on for weeks, and she was already tired of it.

There was a pause in which he swore under his breath―a proverbial display of frustration. "What the hell do you want from me?" Thus challenged, she spoke her first real words to him.

"I wouldn't expect a boy like you to understand how I feel." Annie could not see his face, but she could sense the wound she had inflicted.

Why had she even involved herself with the boy? He was, in infinite ways, all that she was not: he was human, he was a fool, and his cause was one that would be forever in vain. And it was a greater mercy, she told herself, to ensure that he would not know the extent of their aims.

Presently, he gathered his nerve.

"Why waste your time with me, then?" She failed to form a retort. Regrettably, this was not lost on him. There was no need to look his way; she knew that he was waiting for a proper answer, knew that he saw the little hitch in her movement.

He was too perceptive for his own good. It scared her. And fear was unacceptable.

Why can't you just leave me alone? It would make all our lives easier.

She recovered quickly. "I've nothing to say to you." Evidently he understood the sentiment.

Once again, there came a pang. This time she forced herself to abandon it.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Soon enough, Trost came and went in a rush of massacred trainees, Titans and familiar faces, all trapped within grotesque poses of demise.

She and the others found their way to a lone rooftop where the rest of the trainees had gathered.

Among the names listed, Mina and Eren stood out. Though she remained expressionless, the loss was akin to the wrenching of a knife in her chest.

Mikasa Ackerman led the group onward to the Headquarters, overrun with Titans.

And it was this that heralded the arrival of the Rogue Titan.

It took several smaller Titans to detain the creature, and even then it did not collapse until every Titan in the vicinity had been killed.

A thick cloud of steam rose from the body as it disintegrated. Jean was all for abandoning the Titan and moving on, but a few of their comrades continued to watch as something―no, someone burst from the nape. The steam rendered the person unidentifiable, but as seconds passed, it began to clear.

Before any of them could react, Mikasa bolted from the rooftop.

Minutes ticked by, then Armin and Jean followed. They soon returned, without their comrade, white–faced and speechless.

She watched the rest of the cadets tend to their savior. Mikasa held the unconscious boy in her arms, weeping openly. The Arlet boy knelt by her side.

Eren Jaeger, a Titan Shifter. One of them.

This changed everything.

Bertholdt and Reiner exchanged glances. Annie pretended not to notice the understanding cast in her direction.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Evening came, and the mass of corpses were laid in one, fetid, fly-ridden pile. The fire was lit and rose, burning. When the last of the embers had died, far away from the prying eyes and ears of the cadets, Reiner sprung the question: "So...did you know?"

"No." said Bertholdt. "What about you, Annie?"

"I didn't." The last word was partially muffled through gritted teeth.

Bertholdt seemed to have heard exactly what he had been expecting.

"...Keep an eye on him, then." He sighed. "He could be a spy for all we know."

Annie looked incredulously at him. A spy!? How could this incompetent boy be a spy?

Even Reiner seemed dubious.

"Whatever he is," he said, "we should keep an eye on him." He turned to Annie. "You're enlisting into the Military Police?"

She nodded.

"Well then," he said, "that takes care of our problem, doesn't it?" Both of them stared at him. Reiner shrugged. "They don't give a damn about their members. It's perfect."

"And for all we know," Bertholdt lowered his voice, "Eren might know something about the Coordinate. He is Doctor Jaeger's son, after all." With an air of resignation, Annie eventually replied.

"Right."

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Several days later, Annie awoke within the dorm, alone, to the memory of more than a dozen casualties by her hand, and the fact that she had failed, once again, to keep tabs on the boy.

And she was going to be late.

The first few days of life in the Military Police had been dispiriting at best; the other soldiers either ignored her or asked stupid questions. The only indication of anything remotely promising came from an older boy by the name of Marlowe Freudenberg.

The all–too familiar tone of his words brought another twinge that she disregarded.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The morning sun strained to cast its light through the cover of clouds, grey and bloated. Below this, the people of Stohess District went about their business. Annie was stationed alongside Hitch at the market corner when the boy walked past. A sudden urge to take a second look struck her, and against her better judgment, she chanced a second glance at him. No sooner had she done this that he stopped, then looked back, green eyes wide with recognition, then relief.

Even with the civilian clothes he wore, realization came to her as a sickening swoop in the pit of her stomach. Annie glared furiously at him for a brief moment before determinedly turning her attention to the people traveling back and forth through the street. If Hitch had noticed this, she didn't say anything.

Why the Scouting Regiment would allow their greatest asset to wander the streets was a mystery to her: perhaps the prestige surrounding said organization was a complete farce, and their security was worse than that of the Military Police. Or perhaps he'd snuck out. Either way, the boy had seen her.

To her mingled shock and indignation, he began to make his way over to her.

Annie excused herself, ignoring the other girl's inquisitive remark as she let him follow her down one of the vacant alleyways and only turned around when she was quite sure they were alone.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was the same, perfected monotone, but her eyes betrayed the anger lurking beneath her usual façade of indifference. Eren appeared to be steeling himself. After a moment of silence, he replied:

"I came to talk."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint," Annie said frostily, "but I've nothing to say to you. Good day." She made to turn away, but he grasped her arm and she froze at the touch.

"Wait!" He moved to face her, taking hold of her shoulders as he did so. "Listen to me, Annie," Eren hissed. "You're in danger." She paused, once again cold and stoic as she had been during their days as cadets.

"Is that so?"

He took advantage of her snide comment to answer. "The Scouts think you're the Female Titan." The once-dormant fear stirred in her chest. How did he know this? "They don't know where I've gone off to." He said quickly. "But the operation, the plan to capture you―it's tomorrow."

She regarded him with a certain skepticism he had long since grown accustomed to.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I trust you." His response was unflinching. She smiled thinly.

"How can you be so sure I am trustworthy?"

"Well, you were never the best liar." Annie found she had nothing to come back with. Eren glanced back down the alley. They were still quite alone. Reassured, he leant closer, voice low, breath warm and wavering against her cheek. "If all else fails, I suppose they'll hand me over to the Military Police." This did not seem to faze her nearly as much as his next words. "If the Regiment can provide proof that I'm not a threat to mankind, they might reconsider." Her face drained of what little color it possessed.

"Proof?" Her mouth was dry. Eren nodded, taken aback by this uncharacteristic display of hesitation.

"What's the matter?" he asked quietly.

You,/ she thought furiously. [/You're the damn problem.

Annie read the concern in his eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing," she said simply. When he didn't look convinced, she added, "Nothing either of us can prevent." He could not know what she meant by this cryptic statement, but he understood her sentiment. Now she continued, ignoring the frantic cry of her wits to stop this madness before she did something irreparable. "We're betraying the very people we once swore our allegiance to, you know. What's your excuse?"

No amount of training could have prepared her for his response.

"I love you."

She was quiet for a long time. Then she blinked, and her pretense of indifference was dispelled. "You're a damn fool, then," she said, but her voice shook slightly, her eyes were strangely bright, and she did not seem remotely persuaded by her own words.

He shrugged, replied:

"You don't sound very convinced." Annie swore under her breath.

"...Shut up. You're ruining the moment." she muttered.

So he kissed her.

It was the first real contact they had shared in years. She did not respond at first, and he broke off.

"Annie―" he began, but she kissed him again.

"Whatever happens" —her fingers played restlessly with the collar of his jacket, entertaining the idea without actually going through the motion— "promise me you won't do anything stupid." He muttered an agreement, but she gripped his shoulders, and he pulled back. For a moment they regarded each other, and before the doubt could creep back in, she spoke.

"Your word, Eren."

"Yes." His tone was solemn.

She glanced down the alley as he had done, but they remained undisturbed, and she murmured: "Then we've got a few minutes."

Now he grinned.

Clothes were unbuttoned, but not discarded, and as the contact became more passionate she was driven up against the alleyway wall. The back of her jacket was quickly stained from the filthy surface, coated with decades of dirt and God knew what else. Annie retained just enough clarity to remind herself that this act of insubordination went against everything Father had taught her, betrayed the Mission, the Shifters, and all she had paid for in blood and countless years of loss―

And then he thrust against her pelvis and she made a sound halfway between a yelp and a snarl as she seized in his arms, fingers slipping briefly through his hair before clutching feverishly at his shirt in an attempt to hold on to something.

Perhaps this was his way of making up for lost time. Annie didn't care to ask. She had already given away too much with Hitch, with Mina Carolina and Marco Bodt, and yet it was this boy who would be the first and last person to truly understand. This act of acceptance struck real fear in her and for the first time in her life, it was undeniable. But there was another emotion; a momentary relief, a frantic, foolish, yet overwhelming desire to take this chance at temporary freedom from the Mission. Perhaps, she thought in her uncharacteristically giddy state, she could persuade him. He was a Titan-Shifter, after all.

He pushed a little more insistently this time, and her legs came around his waist, arms locked tight across his shoulders.

Shifter or not, the addition of the truth would only complicate things. Yet she had grown tired of waiting for something to click between them, and this was an opportunity. He did not need to understand what she was. Not yet. There would be time to explain, hours to elucidate. (Truthfully, she doubted he would be nearly as compliant as he was at present. The thought drew another flutter in her fevered chest, bitter and repentant and absurdly happy all at once.)

There was a strange, vehement urge to guide him before he picked up on her stride and she was trembling uncontrollably between him and the soot-stained wall. Panting now, he nudged the fabric of her collar aside, sucked at the exposed flesh until she emitted an agitated string of rapid-fire swear words and feverish supplication. He obliged her all too willingly.

She didn't realize how close she actually was until she came with a breathless groan stifled between clenched teeth. He followed shortly afterward, supporting himself upon the wall, breath harsh and warm against her neck.

They parted. She tried to stand, but her knees buckled and he pulled her to him.

For a while there was naught but the sound of their breathing and a faint rawness along her back, but it was insignificant.

"You should go," she said quietly. "Don't want to keep them waiting." He drew back, and she began refastening her shirt; Annie could sense him watching her and wasn't quite sure how to feel despite the slight shiver that stirred through her.

"What about you?"

"I'll manage."

Eren was quiet for a long moment, as if weighing her response. Then he said:

"Annie?"

She looked up.

He took her by the shoulders and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth, then was gone.

She watched him until he vanished around the corner. Hoping against hope that he would have the sense to try and make himself appear less suspicious, she did what she could to look reasonable and followed suit.

"What was that about?" Hitch asked immediately, when she rejoined her at their post. As with the rest of her prying inquiries, Annie gave no reply. Hitch eyed her curiously.

"...You look a bit different."

Annie continued to ignore her, but inside she thought, with a touch of smugness:

You have no idea.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

She woke the next morning and realized she was going to be late, again. Not that it would matter much.

The events of the previous day were much a conspiracy; after all, none of her fellow MPs were aware of what was to come.

Annie permitted herself a small, private smile in the solitude of the empty dorm.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

"You're finally awake!" Hitch proclaimed loudly. The rest of the assembled soldiers turned to watch her progress down the steps.

"You've been a bit lax in your duties as of late." Marlowe added. Annie ignored this, leant back against the wall, concentrating on the polished floorboards to avoid being blinded by the sun shining through the window.

"Sorry I didn't wake you," said Hitch, "but you tend to make pretty frightening faces when you're asleep, so..." She left it at that.

A thrill of dread surfaced in her at this statement. How long would it be before she was found out?

Marlowe made a noise of tired exasperation.

"She's a lost cause, Hitch."

Hitch rolled her eyes.

"Give it a rest, you two." Another one of the soldiers (wasn't his name Boris?) spoke up. "She's the only one of us to have fought in Trost. I'm sure it takes a while to get over that."

Hitch grinned.

"Ah, so you like her already? I can't imagine what you'd see in her, though!"

"Funny you should mention that, Hitch, seeing as she's one of the only MPs to get in through actual talent, and there's only one way someone like you could have gotten in."

"I'm not quite sure I understand you. Why don't you explain that last bit?" Hitch retorted, now distinctly waspish.

"Shut up, you two." Marlowe hissed. "The officer's coming."

They all stood at attention as the man walked around the corner.

"I already told you," he said irritably, "No salutes."

Annie and the rest of the soldiers let their arms down; Marlowe, however, remained as he was.

"Right, I called you here because there's actual work to be done. Something concerning the Scouts and the recent summons to the Capital."

She tensed, but kept her head bowed, listening closely.

"Our superiors have given us the word that they'll be passing through the main street sometime today. Your job will be to provide the convoy additional security. Usage of ODM within the city's limits has been authorized."

"Sir?" Marlowe spoke up. "What exactly are we supposed to be protecting the convoy against?"

The man regarded him oddly.

"I've never heard of anyone defying the government. There are petty criminals, sure, but I find it difficult to imagine any kind of organised group existing within the Walls would try to strike. What kind of motive would they have?"

The officer grunted.

"Well, you seem reliable. All right, here you go." And he thrust the sheet of paper into Marlowe's hands. "Everything you need to know is right in here." He turned towards the door, opened and paused while the sun cast its light on the threshold.

"Ah, and one more thing. Don't make a mess of this, all right? Our reputation's on the line, here."

And with that, he closed the door behind him, leaving Marlowe stunned in his wake.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

When they got outside, Marlowe started talking furiously.

"What the hell is he doing? We haven't been here a month and they're already shoving this mission onto us?"

Hitch sighed. "That was why I chose to join in the first place. Isn't that why you joined?"

Marlowe glared at her.

"No. I'm nothing like the rest of you. I came here to restore order to the Military Police."

There was a brief silence in which his words seemed to reverberate in the air, almost ridiculous.

"And how do you plan to do that?" One of the soldiers asked.

"I'll make my way to the top. I'll do whatever it takes to get there. And when I do, I'll make damn sure the rest of this organisation earns their keep." They all looked at him in total disbelief, and he went on. "I'm not saying they should die―I just want to return this place to the way it was meant to be run."

Hitch let out a shriek and doubled up, convulsing with the force of her laughter.

"Oh, God! I thought you were going to be boring!" She took deep breaths, still trembling with glee. "I really underestimated you, didn't I? Sorry!"

"That's an admirable goal." said Boris. "I hope you achieve it."

Now Annie spoke up.

"Is it, really?"

They all looked at her.

"I think that when so-called good people like you achieve power―that's when it's over."

Marlowe regarded her in minor surprise.

"So you can talk after all. Why don't you keep going, if you've got something to say?"

Am I really going along with this?\] She thought dryly, but after a pause, she said:

"...You're outspoken for the right reasons, I suppose. There aren't many people like that nowadays. But I know they do exist." She allowed a pause while her words settled upon the company. "When society deems your kind to be useful, you get called special. So what do you call people who put themselves above others? Yesterday you called them evil. Cowards. Most of the cadets I knew just wanted a spot in the Military Police." Marlowe raised his eyebrows.

"You're trying to justify them?"

"No. I think we're cowards. And we're definitely evil. But doesn't that make us normal? If people are really as good as you claim, then this organisation shouldn't be this corrupt. Isn't it more of a reflection on the way it's become?" Another pause followed this statement. Annie took a breath, searching for the right words. "What I'm trying to say is...even if I'm just someone who goes with the flow, I just want you to think of me as human. That's all I wanted to say."

"You done yet?" Hitch said. "I never thought I'd [/want you to go back to being quiet."

"I guess it's like they say," Boris grinned, "Once the quiet ones get started..."

Marlowe flipped open a pocket watch and made a sound of dissatisfaction.

"We've wasted enough time talking. Let's go!"

Muttering their bewilderment at his sense of duty, they all headed towards the doors. Annie sighed inwardly, then turned to follow them. Something caught her attention. A figure in the corner of her vision, clad in green.

"Annie," Armin hissed.

She glanced at the retreating figures of her fellow MPs, but they were already far ahead. She entered the alley.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Now she stood at the mouth of the tunnel that served as entrance to the Under City and watched as the trio was swallowed by the darkness. There would be no sunlight to aid her in the catacombs. A feeling of dread lay heavy in her chest at the thought.

Eren had been right after all.

"Annie?" The Arlet boy was the first to notice her hesitance. The other two turned. "What's the matter?" he called.

"I can't help you if we're going that way." Her tone was calm, almost conversational. "The dark scares me."

Eren cast a doubtful grin up at her. "Coming from you? That's a laugh. Come on, we need to hurry." She did not move. He faltered, comprehension dawning upon him. "...Annie?"

"Yes, nothing a suicidal bastard like you would understand."

But Eren could not have understood her meaning more plainly.

"This isn't funny anymore, Annie―"

"You know, Armin," she cut him off, and her tone was harsh. "I don't understand what compelled you to ask for my help if you never trusted me in the first place."

Armin went very pale.

"You stole Marco's gear." He mumbled. "I knew it was his―I fixed it with him." She did not deny his words. Eren and Mikasa were watching him intently. "You killed the Titans we captured."

"Perhaps. If you're so sure I killed them, why did you wait a month to do anything?"

"I...I didn't want to believe it." His voice was small. "I didn't want to believe that you would plan all this." He took a shaky breath, forcing himself to look at her. "What about you, Annie? Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"

She paused, considering the point herself.

"I don't know," she said finally. "If I had known you were this aware...I suppose I would have acted differently."

Eren stepped forward, panic in his tone. "Annie, this isn't a goddamn joke! Come down here!"

Annie fought a strange desire to laugh. What did you think would happen?

Armin extended his hand in her direction, trying to retain some level of reason.

"Look, can't we talk about this―?"

"Enough." Mikasa was ahead of them all, sword drawn. "This is pointless. I'll defeat you again, Female Titan."

A stunned silence followed this proclamation. Armin and Eren turned to look at Mikasa, then back at Annie.

She grinned hollowly at them, and in the brilliant contrast the shadows cast, she looked strange as she addressed the trio.

"...You don't understand." She was quiet and disbelieving and, for the first time, there was a hint of fear in her voice. "I can't go down there. I've failed." She turned to Armin. "I'm glad I could be a good person to you. You were right about your bet."

In a rare display of subtlety, Eren said nothing, but looked beseechingly at her. Her eyes flashed an inconspicuous warning: Don't. The exchange only lasted a matter of seconds, but it did not go undetected by his companions. Together they glanced at him, then each other, then back at her. It would have been comical in any other situation.

"But now" ―she raised her hand to her mouth, and Armin raised the flare in his― "it's my turn!"

BANG!

Shouts rang out around them, and the once–empty square now came to life. The Scouts emerged from every place imaginable; the rooftops, behind walls and crates. Annie had mere seconds to react; she turned, and they had her. One caught her legs, another produced a gag, while two more held her arms. She paid them no heed.

Eren moved forward in alarm, but Mikasa threw her arm out in front of him with a shout: "Eren!"

The three in the tunnel looked at her, and she, at them. Her gaze flitted from Mikasa, to Armin, and finally, for a brief moment, she looked at Eren. The rapid succession of confusion, then understanding and desperation and love in his eyes was too much to bear.

As she held his gaze for a fraction of a second longer, something splintered, then broke within her.

I'm sorry.

Annie flexed her hand, and her father's ring activated with a distinctive shnk.

She saw Armin's eyes widen in comprehension, just as Mikasa grabbed him by the arm, Eren by the back of the collar and sprinted down into the depths of the tunnel, away from the ensuing pandemonium. Eren shouted something desperate to his sister. Armin screamed at the assembled Scouts to run.

By then it was far too late.

All their cries were drowned in the deafening roar.