The Only Exception | Armin x Annie

Chapter 9

Annie's Point of View

It was our day off today so I stayed at home and laid on my bed all day. I didn't have the slightest bit of motivation within me.

I sighed and picked up my phone to visit my social media accounts again. News about us having another project has spread rapidly like wildfire. I looked at my messages but all I saw was my manager, Historia, and Bertholdt's name on the most recent in the message list.

I heard the doorbell ring so I went to my door to open it. I bit my lip as my heart started to beat quickly when I saw who was in the monitor.

What is he doing here?

I fixed myself first before opening the door, trying my best to keep my face straight and showing him that I was fine without him.

"Armin...What are you doing here?" I asked. It was broad daylight and he came to visit me. I looked around to see if there was anyone before pulling him inside.

"I missed you." He said with an endearing tone. I shut my eyes tightly as I tried to regain the stability of my breathing and when it stabilized, I opened my eyes and flashed him a smile.

I led him towards the living room and we stiffly sat down. How did he know where I lived? Well I can't ask him that question since I came to his apartment as well by the help of Historia's search.

I inhaled and exhaled until I was ready to tell him what I always wanted to.

"Look Armin...Let's forget about everything." I saw how his eyes shone and how hard his tears were trying to stay on his eyes.

"What do you mean?" He looked at me seriously.

"I don't think I can be friends with you. About what happened that one night when everything got out of hand, let's forget about it too and treat it as a one night stand." I didn't know where I got the guts to say all of these.

"Annie...Are you serious?" He asked in disbelief. I could see how his facial expression changed as I said those. I wasn't sure if I was too harsh with my choice of words but this is for the better.

"Yes, Yes I am Armin." I heard him exhale before staring at my eyes.

"Annie how could you say that? I don't want to forget about that night moreover I don't want to consider that as a one night stand." He said as his voice started shaking and tears started to clearly form in his eyes. Just seeing him like this pains me but I don't want to be someone labeled just a friend to him. I didn't want to stick to being friends with benefits.

"Then what are we, Armin?" I asked but silence fell in the room. "You say you miss me, do things that confuse me, and now you're telling me sweet things? What are we, Armin?! Why do you keep showing me affection? Why did you call me after the night you met Christa? I'm not a fucking rebound Armin! I'm not some toy you could fuck and just play with! I'm not someone as low as that! I'm not a replacement for your ex!" tears began falling down my cheeks as my voice raised at him.

"I don't think I can be friends with you any longer, Armin." I said calmly this time. He looked dumbdounded at what I just said. His eyes softened as he placed his hands on mine.

"Armin stop...Didn't you hear me?" I said but he just kept holding my hand. This time, he cupped my cheek and wiped my tears with his thumb.

"I'm sorry I haven't talk to you these past few weeks, Annie. Just give me a couple more minutes to explain hmm? After I explain you can make me leave." He said which made me doubt myself again. He always had a way with words. I can't listen to him or I'll obsess over him again. I was doing so good but he just kept coming into my life everytime I push him away.

"I didn't know my manager got you as an actress for the movie. To be honest, I didn't want you to act on my book's movie adaptation. I'll just end up staining your reputation. You care so much about your reputation, right? And knowing me, I'm not one of the most loved at the moment." I tried to regain myself as I listened to him.

"I didn't know you were outside the apartment that night, Annie. If only you had told me...I badly needed someone to talk to that night but I didn't want to bother you."

"So you talked to Christa?" I said with despise when I mentioned her name.

"No...She insisted on getting back together with me but I told her to leave. That I had no feelings for her. She told me that she could ruin your reputation and that she knows we've been seeing each other. She told me to stay away from you but I couldn't help it, Annie. These past few weeks you're all I could think about."

I shed tears as he explained. I felt happy that he did the same thing. I felt happy that he thought of me just like I did with him.

"Annie, I don't want you to get hurt because of my past. I know we've only met for a couple of times but Annie, you made me feel things others didn't. I've been in a relationship with Christa for five years but with you, I risked it all in one night."

As he said those I closed my eyes, trying to feel all of the right emotions. I had mixed feelings but him saying all of the things I wanted to hear made me feel comforted.

"Annie...I don't want to stay friends as well. I want to tell the whole world how much I love you. But at the same time I don't want everyone to hate on you because you have a man like me. Annie, you were my only light ever since the day you saved me. These past few weeks felt empty without you. I missed you so much." He said before embracing me tightly. I wrapped my arms around him as I cried on his shoulders, letting out all the built up frustrations I had. The rubbing on my back by his warm palms made me control myself from breaking down any further.

"Y-You love me?" I asked, trying to clarify what I just heard from him.

"Yes, Annie Leonhart. I loved you since the very first day I saw you. Your laugh, your humor, the way you didn't judge me and the way you comforted me. Every single thing. You made me catch feelings in under three meetings." He whispered on my ear.

I was supposed to ignore him and stop myself from developing further feelings. Yet here I am, letting him embrace me and telling me flowery words as I nail everything into the back of my mind.

"I'm sorry if I ignored you the day the script reading happened. I was uncomfortable of talking about the bed scene. Just the thought of you doing it with somebody else makes my blood boil, Annie. If only I knew you were going to act in this movie, I could've wrote the characters as cold and distant from each other and prevented any interactions from both of them."

I chuckled at what he said. So he was jealous all along?

"Armin..." I pulled away from him and looked at him. We spent several minutes drowning in each other's ocean eyes.

"Yes Annie?"

"I love you too."