Crystallized (Aruani)

Chapter 13: Eventually

C h a p t e r 1 3 : E v e n t u a l l y

A week after the breaking and sealing of Wall Sina, into Stohess District...

"I bet annie know's who the Colossal and Armored Titan's are." Mikasa suggested. "She just needs to rat them out already. She can't claim she's on our side, and then not tell us."

"Yeah... She kind of does need to tell us who they are." Jean agreed.

"That would be very helpful... Hopefully we can get her to speak." Reiner said. Bertolt looked at him, surprised.

"Yeah, right. She hasn't talked about that since the Wall incident." Eren muttered. "She... Killed them. Petra, Orou, Eld, Gunther..." But yet, he couldn't bring himself to completely hate her...

"If she doesn't tell us soon, we'll be doomed." Ymir snapped. "Does she want us all to die?"

"...tch. Maybe." Levi considered. "But I have a feeling she is actually on our side now. A traitor, on our side again.."

"Woohoo! More Titans to investigate!" Hange yelled cheerfully. Everyone there sighed.
Not everyone was at the meeting. It was only the people they knew not to suspect. Or at least, they thought they shouldn't suspect. Eren, Mikasa, Reiner, Bertolt, Levi, Erwin, Hange, and, surprisingly, Jean. Not even Armin was allowed- because of his relations to Annie.

"Anyway. How is annie?" Hange cleared her throat.

"Still recovering. She's mostly in her room. Armin too." Erwin was oblivious to the snickering that proceeded to follow. Eren frowned.

"Shes with Armin?" He muttered, unheard by anyone.

"Erwin, not exactly sure that's helping with her recovery." Levi scoffed.

He rolled his eyes. "They're fine. Probably."

"Armin... They think I'm a traitor, still. Which is understandable, obviously." Annie sighed. "I just want to be swept away with the others." Annie was lazily lounging on her bed, while Armin sat on a nearby chair.

"It'll take time." Armin reassured. "But it will happen."

"...I don't want the attention on me, anymore." Annie groaned. "I'm done with it. Now that I've actually started talking in front of others, I'm being bombarded by people."

"That's what you sign up for when you are a titan. I mean, look at Eren." Armin pointed out.

"True... But Eren handles it better than I do."

"Are you sure about that?" Armin raised a brow.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Eren has a hard time controlling his anger. He's blown up on the military police way too many times. You haven't done much yet."

"Oh yeah. Haven't done much. I haven't, you know, betrayed humanity, killed Levi's closest friends, and tried to destroy all of the humans. No, I'm innocent." Annie replied sarcastically. "Let's face it. They're gonna be watching me for a long time."

"Well once trust is built, the attention will be taken off you."

"I don't think that will ever happen." Annie said dejectedly. "I'll be in the center forever. Eren and Levi hate me."

"That's not true."

"I killed their teammates, Armin. Levi, was so close to Petra. And I killed her. Of course they hates me."

"I don't think Eren could ever hate you. Levi, maybe.. But he'll put aside his personal feelings about you. Levi knows your importance. Eren... Eren liked you, I'm pretty sure." Armin's fists tightened a bit. "The way he wasn't ready to believe you were the Female Titan. I saw how he admired your fighting style- and somewhat respected your decision to join the military police, despite everyone you knew joining the Survey Corp.The fact that he couldn't kill you, even in the end... Eren... Eren couldn't hate you."

"...He seemed to hate me quite a bit." Annie chuckled a bit. "If he hadn't hesitated to kill me... Id be dead."

Armin was silent. He obviously didn't want to think about that. "... Exactly. What does that tell you? He can't hate you.. and I'm sure he still thinks he has a shot with you. Maybe."

Annie visibly stiffened. "Nothing against Eren... But isn't Mikasa infatuated with him?" She wrinkled her nose as she spoke Mikasa's name.

Armin laughed. "Yes, that's for sure. But as for Eren's feelings, no one knows."

"You're his best friend. Shouldn't you know..?"

"Honestly, I thought I knew. I just don't want to be right." Armin admitted. "I don't want to be right about him... Liking you. Because if I am.. I don't want to hurt him."

"...i think it'll be too late for that." Annie said softly as a knock resounded on the door. Annie sat up on the bed, pulling her hoodie on.

"...Hi, Annie." Eren said.

"...hello, Eren. If I may ask.. Why are you here?" Annie questioned.

Eren looked behind Annie at Armin, and looked relieved. "Well, Uh, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"...yeah. I'm fine." Annie replied. "...does Erwin require my presence?"

"Er, no, but Hange does."

"No thanks." Annie groaned. "...I'll see you downstairs in the mess hall... Bye."

"See you there." He nodded.

Annie closed the door to see Armin standing there with a frown.

"I told you.. I think I'm right."

"...it doesn't matter. I don't want to talk about this."

Armin sighed. He wouldn't win this argument. She didn't talk much- that didn't change. She was still the lone wolf, despite Armin desperately trying to change that. And no matter what, she wouldn't tell who the Colossal and Armored Titans really were.
She couldn't do that to Reiner, or Bertolt. They'd been her friends for so long. She couldn't betray them, just like that..
They'd never betray her.

"Annie, what's wrong?" Armin asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine." She replied curtly. He looked upset by her bluntness, but nodded.

"Let's go eat, then."

"Annie goes into Titan examination today." Mikasa nudged Armin.

"What? She does?" Armin raised his brow. "How come we didn't know?"

"...we all did, maybe you just weren't paying attention." Eren grabbed a potato before Sasha could take all of them.

"Yeah, they told all of us.." Christa frowned.

"Hmm.." Ymir tapped her chin. "Eh, Reiner! It was his fault. Let's just blame it on him."

"Wh-what did I do?" He protested.

Ymir leaned over to whisper in his ear. "...stay. Away. From. Christa."

Annie rolled her eyes and focused on her food. Armin, Eren, and Mikasa continued to talk. Jean purposely left the seat next to him empty. Reiner and Bertolt talked quietly, while Christa tried to calm a raging Ymir. Sasha was- as usual- stealing all of the food, while Connie tried to stop her. Annie looked up to talk to Mina- but then remembered her tragic fate. I could've saved her.. At least her. She looked around, and saw everyone laughing, talking, enjoying the time they had.

For once, it was back to normal.