Mutiny (Attack On Titan) (Rewritten version) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 21

(Flashback)

"Armin, why are we up the hill?". Annie asked as she sat down beside Armin beneath a tree.

He simply smiled at her. "Today's a special day". Armin said. "Since today is the last day before our graduation, I thought that maybe we can spend our last day together in the best way we could". He said. "Maybe....Maybe also we can take our minds off of everything's that happened so far....if you know what I mean".

Annie understood what Armin was implying, the hell that was Trost still weighed heavily on his mind and even after Eren successfully plugged the hole, the loses were heavy and so many good friends lost their lives.

The memory of Marco begging her to stop what she was doing was still fresh in her mind, her heart sank deep into her stomach the more she thought about it, Marco was an innocent boy and he did not deserve the death that he got.

If only Reiner and Bertholdt weren't so careless with openly talking about their plan.

"....I see". Was all the response Annie was able to give, her tone was clearly masked with remorse towards the Arlert boy and her face showed how tired she truly was.

She took a quick look at the Arlert boy, who had longing on his face. Her blood ran cold at the thought that one day she would have to kill Armin if it meant continuing the mission.

Just like how she and her teammates killed Marco.

But would she be able to drench her own hands in his blood?

Will she have the courage to crush Armin underneath her grip? To finish him off for the sake of the mission?

She was so conflicted about what she had to do with the boy, she and Armin grew close, way closer than Annie anticipated, and the boy has shown her the love and support that she lacked in life.

In a way, he was like her light that guided her in this cruel, twisted world. His bright smile and his comforting words always brought a feeling of warmth in her chest, and he was the only one who actually brought her out of her own "crystal" that she encased herself in, an ice wall that separated her from everyone else.

Armin mattered so much to Annie, she always wondered wither or not the Arlert boy knew it.

That was why she didn't want Armin to join the Survey Corps. Deep down, she was begging and praying that Armin would reconsider his decision to join the Corps to follow his two closest friends (who were like family to him) to endure an unimaginable hell on the magnitudes that no one else were able to fully comprehend.

But he was still insisting on being a brave idiot, even though he saw his comrades get eaten by Titans.

Annie respected his decision, but she couldn't stop that crippling fear from coming to haunt her every once in a while.

Will she be able to kill Armin Arlert?

"Hey Annie". Armin called her name. "A-Are you alright? I've been trying to get your attention...".

Annie snapped out of her own thoughts and she looked away. "It's fine, don't worry about it". She said, hoping to dispel any worries that Armin would have for her.

Clearly, it failed, since the concern on Armin's face was growing by the second. "Annie, you know you can talk to me". Armin said. "You're not alone in carrying whatever burden you have....please if there's anything bothering you then you know you can come to me".

She forgot that the boy was observant of everything, even the tiniest details.

Annie wanted to tell Armin everything, she wanted to lay out her burden and scream and cry into his chest for all of the things that she did, she wanted to cry and be held by the boy and empty her chest of the terrible agony of having to carry the burden of her own sins.