𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗲.

𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 - 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐬 & 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬.

Friday, 3:00pm.

Armin made it to the front of his house; dialing their school. He needed to let the principal know he was going to be late, to keep watch for Rico and them for a little longer. While it was taking him through the auto-mated system, Armin was on his doorstep.

".....Trost Elementary, how can I help you?"

Armin thanked whatever god that existed, for the quick reply. He continued talking with the kind lady, until he got transferred to the principal.

"..Hello? Is this Mr. Yeager?"

"Ah, Arlert. It is indeed, what's up?"

"I needed to let you know that I'm going to be picking up Rico and Nanaba late.."

"About that, you no longer need to."

Armin went silent. He no longer needs to? Did Connie go and pick them up? He did have Connie, Jean's and Levi's name on the list. It took a while, until he realized it. He dropped his phone, in utter terror.

"In fact, a extremely kind girl named Annie came and picked them up. She said she was your... Girlfriend? Of course I asked the kids, they seemed to nod in understanding."

"..Mr. Arlert?"

"Mr. Arlert?!"

"Yes, I see.. Okay, thank you."

Armin hung up before he could finish, picking up his phone. He saw her car in the driveway. How blind could he be? He paid no mind out of worry, but now he did. The blue Subaru, with a few dents in the back. Yeah, that was her car. He took a deep breath, before going inside the house and locking the door behind him, placing his keys on the table next to the door. It was dead silent in the house, like usual.

Armin stepped forward, inching across the hallway. It reeked of cigarettes, alcohol, other men that Annie would sleep with here while Armin's working his night-job. Fast food from McDonald's, and blood. Dirty blood, aging blood.. Fresh blood. Scattered all over the tiles from the kitchen into the family room, light leaving Armin's eyes. He saw 2 backpacks, lazily thrown and ragged up in the corner on the floor- and scratch marks. He was petrified. Annie was drunk, he could tell by the strong odor evaporating from the family room; drunk and in a abusive mood. Fuck, she got to the kids first.

Armin ran forward, into the family room to see a horrific sight. One that he didn't want to see, one that he believed only he should go through with Annie. His breath hitched, mind went blank, his knees were shaking and he was pale. He was frozen at the sight. Blood. Everywhere it seemed, in the carpet and on the couch. And, the worse thing was right in front of him- was Annie herself; holding Rico by her hair in her left hand; Nanaba, unconscious in her right. They were so small, yet bruised legs to neck, Rico's face covered in cigarette burns- Nanaba cut up with what looked like, scissors...?

"Annie had cut their hair. Horribly, then beat them? No, no. Annie beat them when they got home, and they were probably screaming for me to come back-?"

Armin thought, trying to analyze their current situation. That is, he tried. Annie noticed him too soon, dropping Rico & Nanaba on the floor, stepping towards him with a bottle of liquor in one hand, scissors in the other. Armin stepped back, trying to pay attention to- or even get his kids, but failed. Rico tried screaming for Armin, or even moving but her legs were too broken to even try. Then, not long after she blanked out, falling unconscious- leaving Armin paranoid, scared for his life as he was about to push Annie away, not expecting Annie to lunge at him, forcing him onto the ground. Armin yelped in pain; throwing her off him. She growled, getting up.