MY LOVELY WAR DOLL

TO THE STARS AND BACK PT.2

"So...how are you still functioning after doing so much work?" Armin asked {Y/n}, sitting atop of a half dilapidated stairway in a ruin that was not too far down-hill from the observatory. It was an abandoned garden. The two had found themselves there after wandering as they talked, and Armin was intrigued to know more about his temporary work partner. "Writing is far less tiring after traveling." {Y/n} started. "Our duty as Dolls, is to travel anywhere for our clients. No matter how far, or how difficult it may be." Armin's eyes glanced towards the ground in thought of how tiresome that sounded. "I carry my suitcase around all year long, traveling in various modes of transportation." She finished. "Yes...but, I don't understand why you choose to do this?" Armin spoke up, darker blonde eyebrows furrowed as he returned his gaze towards her. "Why do I do it? Because...I was given this roll." She told him. He simply gazed, waiting for her to continue. "When I first started, I saw it as my duty. But then I...started to see how many different emotions were involved with it..." She gazed up the mountain where the school resided, and then the billions of starts above, blazing through the sky faster than what could be comprehended just from where they merely stood. "...And now I'm trusted with the thoughts and feelings of people of the past. I write them down to preserve them, for all of the generations to come." Her face glistened from the moonlight. "I've come to realize that's...a very special thing." Armin's brows raised up in awe, her monotone voice speaking such words was alluring to him somehow. "I guess you're right..." He said quietly. "But..." {Y/n} started again, looking down to her feet. "I question whether or not I'm worthy...for this wonderful work." Armin, hearing her insecure thoughts aloud, had him astonished. She wasn't completely robotic, despite what her arms and hands are considered. She truly was looking for some place in the world to fit in. Just like he, who had struggled for long in his life. 

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Birds could be heard chirping, letting all other aspects of life aware that day had returned. Vibrant light from the sun had lit the corridors of the laboratory, even allowing light to seep into darker spaces around the observatory's library corners, which was where Armin resided. He was searching through a row of books, before hearing {Y/n}'s voice a level below from where he was. "What are you trying to say?" She asked. "That I...feel bad that you have to work with Armin." A male voice was heard responding. "We all know he's insufferable." Another male's voice chimed in. Armin could now tell, the voices were all coming from directly below him. The two men below stood hidden within a meagerly lit niche filled with books, as {Y/n} stayed out in the open, where light could reach her. It was sure to tell that they had possibly called out to her as she was passing by. "He's an orphan who couldn't afford to work here without Shahar's support." One of the males, whose voice was deeper in tone, spoke. "If you ask me, he doesn't deserve to work with a woman as beautiful as you." The other, whose voice was more lilted and clear. "So, after work, why don't you come out and hang with us?" The same man asked, glancing at his companion with a smirk, feeling a sense of superiority over slandering Armin. {Y/n}'s head tilted towards her left. "I'm an orphan, too. And...I haven't lived a decent life as you seem to think. In fact, I only learned to write about 2 years ago. So, if for some reason your upbringing limits the circle of people you interact with, I suggest you do not get involved with me." She said to them. 

"No...but, you're different. Right?" The deeper toned male asked. "Yeah, of course!" The other male chimed. "You know, Armin's mother was-" "I don't even know my parent's faces." {Y/n} sharply interjected. Armin, whose head was dropped towards his feet hearing the way the other men spoke of him, gasped quietly hearing her sudden confession. "You're just defending him because he's your partner." One said. "No, you're wrong." {Y/n} told him. "I'm merely stating the truth." The two men seemed to visibly lose interest in attempting to coerce {Y/n} to forget about Armin. "Let's go...she's just not getting it." The male said, leaving with his companion. Armin's mouth was agape in utter astonishment with how {Y/n} defended him. All his life, Armin was seen beneath everyone else for simply growing up with the title of being an orphan. To know that she was one as well...it was hard for him to contemplate what it even meant to him. Of course, it meant they had a lot more in common then he thought. But, there was something he wanted to discover more within her. Would she even open up to him?