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Post by Decoii on Apr 17, 2021 22:28:56 GMT -5
Annie nodded excitedly when he asked if she would actually go to the sea with him. "Well, duh. Those mean kids don't deserve to go with you and no one will believe you if you go alone. They'll think you're lying. I won't though, I'll go with you and we can stay there however long you want. Then, we can go to the caves! I know they look scary, but they look cool too!" Her eyes glossed over dreamy, thinking of all the adventures Armin and her would go on.
Climbing, swimming, flying. Things both possible and impossible but with Armin... Everything felt okay all the time, everything was possible. She smiled big at Armin, crossing her pinky finger with his and swaying their connected hand in the air. "you know Armin, It's not your fault you have a lot of things to cry about. 'if you need to cry, you should cry'. Daddy always tells me that but I have nothing to cry about." She was fed, sheltered, and safe. She felt lonely but Annie confused loneliness for boredom. Although, that's felt a bit better since Armin and her started sneaking around and reading together in the forest.
"-And when we grow up you won't either!" She exclaimed, smiling proudly. "We have to understand why the sun goes away, then we can chase it to the sea. When we grow up, you'll be so smart no one would be able to touch us!"
Annie had grown very fond of Armin, she hadn't really realized how bored she became when he wasn't around. She wondered if he could move to her house, or if she could go to his so that they would always be together but she couldn't leave her dad behind. Maybe they could all live together, in one big home! She wasn't sure but her mind was always imagining up great things.
Annie shifted shyly, looking at Armin quickly before glancing away. "I have something to ask you... Uhm..."She stopped talking for a bit, finding the zipper of her jacket suddenly very interesting. Ever sense her dad made a joke, she's been wondering about it. What would be so bad about it? She didn't know. But regardless, there was no harm in asking, right? "I'm... Armin," she paused, gaining courage before quickly blurting out, her face red, "will you be my boyfriend!?"
She had barely finished asking the question when she moved on to change the conversation in embarrassment "you remember that tree? The Russian olive one that we read about last time? I think I found one on my way-" Annie paused, wide happy eyes dropping in concern as she looked around, the hairs on her arms sticking up. "Uh," She hesitated, realizing she couldn't see anything even though she swore she heard something funny a second ago. "Uh- a-anyways, t-the book said it smelled sweet. I think I smelled something sweet on my way here.... "
She wasn't sure, but she found herself moving closer to Armin as the wind blew across the clearing, something feeling off to her.
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Post by Ventia on Apr 18, 2021 1:31:27 GMT -5
“You’d do that for me?” Armin giggled, happy that she would defend him. “We could stay for a long time too! Once we get bored we can come back home and show everyone all our treasures! Like the sand! And the shells! And some cool rocks from the caves!” Armin could just imagine it and he let a goofy expression roll across his face, his mouth open, his eyes far off, thinking of adventure and exploring.
He was brought back to earth at the feel of Annie’s touch and zeroed in on their hands, pinky entwined as they swayed it in the air. Armin smiled but then it faltered as Annie spoke. He glanced down, listening to her words, and then shrugged.
“I know but boys aren’t supposed to cry. That’s what my dad says. It’s not like I want to cry.” He said stubbornly, glancing back up at Annie’s face. “Just can’t help it. I’m sure when I’m older I’ll be too big and strong for tears.” Armin felt a little burst of confidence and winked at Annie, something he had seen other boys do to the girls they liked.
“And smart too!” He added after Annie’s remark, wanting to be the smartest person in the world if Annie thought he could be. Armin found himself vibrating with energy as he stared at her, determination setting in his young mind to always be by her side. To always be her friend. He didn’t want Annie to be sad and alone when she grew up. He wanted her just like this, with him, and happy.
Armin cocked his head at Annie’s suddenly shyness but adored it all the same. He sometimes forgot she could get shy and the reminder made Armin feel more protective of her. Even though he was far weaker, shorter, and younger. At her sudden question, Armin felt his face go completely red and for a second, he heard nothing but ‘boyfriend’ echoing in his head.
Armin only blinked back into focus when he saw the sudden scared look in Annie’s eyes. Armin barely heard what she was saying about the olive tree as he glanced around the clearing. From their spot tucked next to the tree, Armin couldn’t see nor hear anything. But Armin had learn to trust Annie’s instincts and remembered his dads warning about not going too deep into the woods. Their secret place was smack in the middle of it.
“Something sweet?” Armin asked, wrapping his arm around Annie and bringing her closer until they sat huddled together. Armin’s heart which had begun to race at Annie’s question was now racing due to fear, responding to how Annie was acting. Much like back at his house, now that Armin was paying attention, he had the sudden feeling that they were being watched.
Armin swallowed and slowly reached for his book. “Olive trees don’t smell sweet? Do they?” Armin spoke low and into her ear. “Annie...do you feel that?” Armin wet his lips, his eyes scanning the area around them frantically.
“I want to be your boyfriend!” Armin whispered excitedly, feeling a need to answer her question. Just in case he didn’t get the chance to later. Armin wanted-no needed Annie to know she wasn’t the only one that was feeling the way she was. That Armin liked her too.
“But I think we need to run...I just don’t know which way is safer.” Armin unwrapped his arm from around Annie’s waist, not wanting to get in the way of her needing to run and grabbed her hand, locking their fingers together.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 18, 2021 11:13:47 GMT -5
Annie took a step back from the tree, clutching Armin's hands tightly, bringing him with her. She wasn't sure what she heard, but knowing Armin felt the same oddness in their little paradise made her that much more scared. They weren't supposed to be here and if they got caught they would be in so much trouble. Still, she couldn't see anything. "I think It's coming from this way..." She whispered, forcing them further away from the tree. If she ran left, she'd make it home and if Armin ran right so would he, but Annie didn't want to split up and she couldn't run towards the nearest clearing to the road either because it didn't feel safe.
Squinting her eyes, Annie noticed a blur of brown suddenly break through the clearing and race towards the tree. It was some sort of large animal and the moment she noticed it, she yelled out a loud and panicked "Run!" and tightened her grip on Armin, turning in the opposite direction from the blur and making a beeline towards the trees. The bushes seemed rougher here, cutting into Annie's face and tangling in her body, slowing them down. But she could hear a loud snarl and dangerous growls from behind them, and it kept her moving forward in pure panic.
She could feel Armin's struggling behind her but forced him forward even when he yelped out and tripped. She didn't want to leave him behind, she didn't care if that meant having to try and fight the animal that was currently chasing after them. She glanced around, noticing an opening in the trees and headed that way, hoping to put more space between them and whatever that thing was. Armin must have noticed it too because he sped up behind her, going in the same direction as her. She glanced behind herself as she cleared the last tree, intending to tell him that they would be okay if they ran faster.
But Annie's feet failed to make contact with the floor and all of a sudden, she was falling down fast and bringing Armin down with her. She looked forward but things seemed to whip by her fast as she fell and she closed her eyes out of instinct when she realized that there was no ground underneath her feet.
Annie woke up from her dream with a scream, bolting up in her bed. The feeling of falling fresh in her mind but the rest of her dream slowly fading into the background.
"For fucks sake you almost gave me a heart attack!" Yelled one of the guards that stood outside of her cell.
Frowning at them, Annie pulled her blanket up to her chest, coming back into the world of reality and realized that she was still wearing the dirty and broken clothing that Derek had tried to strip from her body.
"Where's Magath?" She asked, wetting her dried lips with a flick of her tongue. The guard shrugged but didn't really answer her question.
Magath stood inside of Armin's cell, waiting for Armin to wake up just like he's done multiple times through out the days. This would be his second day of staying close to Armin. The first day when Armin woke up between his drug induced sleep, he would talk about Dr. Arlert. Whispering idea's of how great of a person he was, smart and dedicated. Going on about his many advances in the medical field and all the things he did to help Marley. Painting him as the perfect friend to their cause.
This particular strand of drug was known to cause confusion in the patients, causing vivid hallucinations that where tied to whatever stimulant the patients would be receiving. Once Magath described a beehive to one of his subjects while they were drugged. He had described them getting stung by bee's over and over and the subject started hallucinating such a thing. Actually dying of a heart attack midway through the bad drug inducted trip.
This time, Magath talked about happier times.
He told Armin some bullshit story of a happy childhood. It wasn't completely a lie, Armin grew up there, on Marley territory, and given his fathers position in the group, Armin had a pretty good home growing up. In fact, paperwork said that he and Annie grew up a couple of miles from each other and he played into that once too. Talking about the times in which the two of them where together as children, as if he had known.
"Do you remember now son?" He questioned, feeling Armin stir from his sleep. "Do you remember her?"
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Post by Ventia on Apr 18, 2021 14:55:49 GMT -5
Armin looked in the direction where Annie had stated and narrowed his eyes, trying to see past the clearing into the thick bucket of trees for some kind of threat. Armin didn’t see anything still but moved slowly with Annie until he saw the precise moment the creature revealed itself. Armin saw the crazed look to its glowing eyes and the way its mouth drooled with very big teeth. Armin yelped, forgetting to run for a second as Annie pulled him away and then tried his best to keep up.
His heart was slamming in his chest and Armin squeezed Annie’s hand, feeling a wave of dread go through him. There was something about this path that he knew they shouldn’t go through. But Armin couldn’t remember why at that very moment when they were being chased by a wild animal. Armin just knew he had to run if he wanted to survive, so Armin ran. When he tripped and almost fell to the ground, Armin thought that was the end of it, glancing behind him at the ugly thing snapping its jaws at them. In a frantic, after he found his footing thanks to Annie pulling him along, Armin threw his precious book behind him, hitting the creature on the nose, it growled but kept chasing after them.
Armin turned to Annie, saw the clearing, and then realized why he hadn’t wanted to go this way. “Annie! No!” But they were running so fast and with the creature just behind them, Armin knew they wouldn’t be able to stop. The last thing Armin saw was Annie’s face before they tumbled off the cliff. He remembered pulling her towards him during the fall and then smack-everything went dark.
Flashbacks of escaping started to filter in, old conversations his parents had as Armin went in and out, confused, asking what was happening and where was Annie. If she was okay. He remembered his mother’s smoothing touch, telling him to hush and to be quiet, that it wasn’t safe yet for him to be speaking. Armin had tried to move but felt his body not responding until he could do nothing but stare at the stars.
The scene flicked forward to their house, the one Armin had remembered. He was being strapped in the basement, struggling and crying, as his dad prepared the injections. He could hear his mother’s soft sobs coming from above and Armin started to scream for her help, saying he didn’t want this. That he would be a good boy if they just stopped.
Armin sucked in a breath, feeling pain as he awoke, as the old memories from the nightmare started to play again in his mind, this time it stayed put, and Armin suddenly remembered everything. Or at least, the majority of it.
Magath’s words filled his ears and Armin saw Annie as a little girl, putting a pink butterfly bandage on him, giving him a smile and then hugging him, petting his hair. Armin also heard her asking him to be her boyfriend and closed his eyes, feeling a different type of pain roll over him, how had he forgotten? Why had he forgotten? Why had he left her here?
Armin felt defeated and made himself look at Magath, realizing now that Armin had seen him before. As a child, hanging around with his father. He heard Magath’s earlier words of how his father had been a big help to the organization, a loyal man to the cause. He believed it now, hearing the faint echos of his father’s crazed voice screaming at his mother. Now that Armin was older, that conversation began to make sense.
Armin glanced away, not wanting to give Magath anything useful but unable to deny it as well. All the while, the sight of little Annie stayed in Armin’s mind and he clenched his teeth, feeling horrible for forgetting her.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 18, 2021 16:33:37 GMT -5
Magath had patience for Armin to come around, again and again. If the male mumbled something about his father, Magath would talk about his father. If he spoke of his mother, Annie, anything, Magath would speak to him. Caressing thoughts and half truth memories into Armin's mind. "You might not like us, son, and that's understandable." He started slowly, walking to a cart that was placed at the end of the cell. "Both you and Annie belong to Marley." He said, pulling out an old brown book and walking over to Armin, sighing as he took his seat.
"It's clear that she means a lot to you, so lets talk about her for a bit. After all, I don't think it's a coincidence that you made your way back to us upon her return. You were looking for her, weren't you? and if I know anything about Annie I'd say she left you in the dark about who she was and what kind of life she lived. That's why you're only starting to remember now. So, how about I filled us in? Annie was alone after you left and her father chose to focus on making her a soldier for Marley, he focused on making her strong and keeping her isolated. Shortly before you left he brought her in to the infirmary, severe injury to the head, and it's honestly a miracle that she lived, much less could walk. I believed that her injuries and your fathers departure are related, but I have no proof.
"Your father, he was the one that discovered a small gene in humans that would allow them to become shifters. Upon experimentations, he found that the consumption of shifter spinal fluid would alter the human DNA in these subject's enough to make them inherit the ability to shift. But they'd only be able to shift into the species they had to consume. Dr. Arlert and I ran the first experiments and realized that in order to achieve this, the subject would have to consume a shifter.
"It was rare, but only a few lived after consuming a shifter, only the strong ones. So your father created a drug to ease the process along and make the ritual more successful. Your father was a genius, Armin. Strong, intelligent, and important to us. He was a titan to Marley and because of him, Annie became a Titan because she to, had all the qualities that we deemed important.
"It's why, regardless of what you may think of us, she always comes back home." Magath placed the book down on Armin's lap, loosening the chains of his wrists so that the man could reach for the book. "Wouldn't you like to keep her safe? Make her happy? That was the first time Annie has shown care for anyone else besides her, can't you work with us so that it isn't taken away from her? We can forgive Annie and we can forgive your father but only if you become one of us. I'll let you see her, I'll let her guard you at night until you've proven yourself and we can let you go. Maybe you can move into your old house and the two of you could be neighbors and be together forever, without anyone trying to separate you."
Magath sighed, looking at Armin's childhood book, the one that had been left behind in the forest. "Don't you think she deserves that? TO have someone with her forever? After all these years of loneliness... That could be you, just say the word, and you'll be able to see her today."
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Post by Ventia on Apr 18, 2021 17:57:20 GMT -5
Armin watched Magath with his eyes which had healed almost completely during his sleep, leaving just a bit of bruising. He blinked, adjusting to the better vision and took in his cell again before back towards Magath. Armin’s eyes closing in on the book the man now held. Armin swallowed and felt himself tensing under the facade of his relaxed body.
Then Armin listened because it was smart to gather all the information he could, it just sucked that it sound so much like the truth. No he knew that most of it was the truth. Maybe a few lies scattered here and there, but Magath was speaking truth.
Armin could see Annie in the infirmary fighting for her life after their fall. He was so thankful that Annie was alive and wished Armin had done more to lessen her injuries. He heard of her father training her and gritted his teeth, thinking of the one conversation Armin had with the man, and Magath just continued on speaking, filling Armin’s defeated mind with words.
When Magath put the book on Armin’s lap and loosened his chains, Armin was surprised he didn’t move. He stared down at the book and then back at Magath, listening to him now telling him lies.
“You think I’ll believe that?” Armin’s voice was calm though, everything the man had said sounded good to Armin. But could he trust the man? What would Armin have to do once he was part of them? Armin thought of the horrors he had seen for months and months and knew that if he accepted Magath’s proposal, Armin would become a part of that.
Armin thought of that blonde unnamed child who screamed at him, the first of many, and felt coldness seep into his heart. Armin was already one of them-he just told himself he wasn’t. But if it was for Annie? Armin thought of his Annie, who he felt like he could call her his now, because Annie had wanted it anyways. It gave him claim to her and Armin needed to keep her safe. It was a desire rooted in him, into the deepest part of who Armin was, built from this very place. Now that Armin was back here, back with his memories of their time together as children, he felt like he could become anyone-anything as long as it meant her safety. Even if she grew to hate Armin, Armin would still do it.
Armin felt a little dizzy, finally reaching down, feeling the slack of the chains, until his hands were placed on the warm leather of his favorite book. “You say these things but don’t really mean it. You’re right. Annie is important to me, important enough that I’m honestly thinking it over. But you know those deals where it seems just too good? Yeah this is one of them.”
“Plus you kill anyone once they’ve no used to you. For instance, where’s Mr. Leonhart? Or my parents? It was you guys who came after us. Who killed my mother as my father escaped with me.” Armin glared at the man, remembering as he spoke and gritted his teeth. It was his fault for the horror that happened afterwards, that was still fuzzy to Armin, but with Magath’s earlier words, Armin knew.
“The point is, you’ll kill us when we least expect it. You’ll get what you want out of me and Annie and then dispose of us. But hey, what can I do? I’m strapped here, being fed my fathers drug, while you dangle Annie in front of me like she’s fresh meat.” Armin opened the book, flipping through the pages, some filled with words detailing all the magnificent views, and others of pictures of the most prettiest sceneries. Armin stopped at the picture of the sky, the one Annie had flipped to, and stared hard at the blue skies and bright shining sun. How Armin wished to go back to those days, just Annie and Armin, alone and happy in their secret place.
His throat felt dry so Armin licked his lips, lifting his head to glare at Magath.
“What do you want me to do?”
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Post by Decoii on Apr 18, 2021 19:06:46 GMT -5
Magath paused and clicked his tongue, shrugging and dramatically getting up from the chair. "Now, now, that's not fair." He shook his head, sighing for effect. "Every deal has got rules you see? Mr. Leonhart signed Annie away after her mother had died, promising to dedicate her to the cause, if it meant that they got to live many years without having to face the same dangers and we complied. Then Annie had to act rogue and as family, Mr. Leonhart paid the price. It's only fair, a deal broken always has it's consequences and while it could seem harsh to you, you know it's rather true."
Magath sat back down, smiling at Armin now. "Your father was trying to find out if having multiple shifters inside of one body would work, or if the blood wouldn't allow it. I'm not as fancy of a thinker as he was, so I haven't been able to decipher what he was working on. However, if what Annie was saying is true, than as his son you should be able to shed some light into his work, right?" Moving about once again, Magath grabbed three other books and placed them on Armin's lap.
"This is his research, go through it, give me some information that I don't already know, and instead of me waving Annie above your head like meat, I'll serve her on a silver platter for you. I'll even allow you to get rid of Derek for me. Remember him? The one that raped Annie while you sat down here unable to do anything? How do you think she still feels about that?" Magath grabbed a binder then, opening it and holding up multiple pictures of dead tortured blonde women, girls even. Bruises, stabbings to their genitals, blood, gore, and all tainted with obvious sexual abuse. "See, I don't know if you remember Derek, but he was one of the not-so-nice kids in your neighborhood where you grew up.
"He grew up to be a not-so-nice adult with the preference to blonde women. Honestly, he's been a long time hassle in the business and I'm not very happy with what he did to Annie the other day. Bottom line, son, you give me information that I need and help me alter this drug as I see fit and I'll let you get rid of Derek for touching your girl. I can't control him and therefore don't see any need for him. But I want you, Armin.
"I want you enough to promise you that Annie will always be a part of you and no one else will hurt her. You don't have to believe me, but that's the deal. Next time I come, I want results, or else..." He shrugged at that, closing the binder and leaving the cell and Armin behind. Letting him dwell in all the information he had just been fed.
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Post by Ventia on Apr 18, 2021 20:39:20 GMT -5
Armin sighed unhappily at Magath’s words, he was right, Armin may not have liked it-but it made sense. But Magath was controlling them with fear, something that was completely different to how the Pack ran things. One day it might just be his downfall. Armim vowed to do just that, he would comply because what other choice did he and Annie have? But when Armin finally had that chance to turn it all around, he would. Armin just feared what he would do in the meantime and who he’d become.
The only thing Armin wouldn’t be regretting was Derek’s death. He gripped the books, looking at the disfigured pictures and seeing Annie. His hunger came back with a vengeance and all Armin wanted to do was destroy Derek. He didn’t remember him from his childhood but no doubt the two of them crossed paths. Armin tried not to think of all his bullies from a lifetime ago and was thankful that he hadn’t let Annie play with them. Maybe if he had, she would have been one of his victims if she wasn’t already.
Armin was left alone then and he moved his favorite book out from underneath the bigger ones, not wanting it to get crushed. “Hey you, come move this chair closer to me.” Armin told the guard who hesitated but then did as he asked.
“You heard the man.” Armin said, letting the books drop down onto the seat and off his legs. “Where’s that sample of my blood and that paper you guys tested it with.” Armin put his book next to him, against the chair, and reached for one of the bigger books. He flipped through it, ignoring the men as they waited to do his bidding, and started reading, trying to see anything that would be useful to him.
Armin spent the next few hours going through everything, looking at all the different blood tests and once he got his own, Armin compared it to the rest. It was clear that it was similar to the other successful tests and yet Armin could see some differences, very tiny details that were unlike the others.
Armin thought of his dad injecting him, of telling him it was for his own good, that it would only make him stronger and more adaptable to changes. Armin hadn’t realize what he had meant by that, but now, hours later, his memory intact, his father’s researched fresh in his mind, and staring at his own blood sheet, Armin wondered if he was already what Magath sought to create. If he could hold more than one shifter genes in his body and successfully shift between the two of them. Armin put his father’s book back on the stack of the others and felt everything clicking in place.
Armin’s father had known this day would come, when Magath finally captured his son and would force his teachings on him. Make him into a experiment. So what had he done? He made Armin into his life’s work, so that his chances for survival would be high. Armin closed his eyes, feeling disgust and loved all at the same time. He was a monster-that much was certain. But what Armin did now would determine if he was a good one or bad. He thought of Annie and wished to see her, to tell her he was sorry and possibly say his goodbyes.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 18, 2021 21:32:04 GMT -5
It would be two more days before anyone visited Armin. Magath never came back and the guards made a point to give Armin everything he needed and wanted. This included lab tests, needles, even allowing him a fresh change of clothes, food, and showers. Armin still lived in the cell and his security was still high, but he wasn't treated poorly like before. The guards even had conversations with themselves in front of Armin, acting as if this was normal, and as if they hadn't tortured him less than a week ago.
Magath had visited Annie during that time, apologizing for allowing Derek to get so far. He had hinted at Armin that Annie had been raped, but not killed by Derek, and seeing as how Annie didn't even reply to his apologies, he knew the girl wouldn't bring it up in front of Armin. Therefore, Magath could still convince Armin that bad things have happened to Annie. Annie nodded at Magath's instruction, being told that she would be put on security detail for Armin.
She was confused, but wasn't going to ask questions. She didn't want to upset Magath and have this chance at finally seeing Armin again be taken away from her. She wouldn't know what to do if that happened. Although Annie didn't know of the deals that Magath had made with Armin, she was willing to try anything to get back with Armin, feeling as if it was her fault for Armin being in this situation.
"About damn time!" The guard in front of Armin's cell called out, frowning and moving out of sight. "I need a fucking cigarette and you're fucking late. My post should have been done half an hour ago."
Annie rolled her eyes at him, stepping towards Armin's cell and grabbing the keys from the guard who was already in a hurry to leave his post. She waited until the outside door was closed before turning towards Armin, wordlessly unlocking his cell so she could slide in before locking it back up. Her hair was in it's usual bun, fringes falling over the side of her face just like how she usually would have them on a regular day. She wore a white hoodie and white long pants, her pants tucked under tan knee high boots, and a matching leather jacket over her hoodie.
"Hey..." She called out softly, adjusting her clothes to avoid his eyes. She had a gun strapped to her side with a knife right next to it. Despite looking well put together, Annie had bruises across the front and sides of her neck, as well as her jaw. Her clothing hiding the bruising across her body that Derek's assault had left her covered in.
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Post by Ventia on Apr 19, 2021 0:35:14 GMT -5
Armin had nothing else to do but to confirm his theory, so he did just a few more blood tests with his blood. He wanted to see how it reacted with the different strands of the drugs, and watched with white knuckled fists as his blood mingled and then became one with the drug, changing into something different than the other results his father had gotten. Armin wasn’t as great of a scientist as his father, not even close, but when it was all there for Armin’s eyes to see, it was fairly easy for Armin to follow through.
Armin didn’t want his findings to be seen by Magath but each time he turn around, the evidence would be taken away by a guard and out of Armin’s reach. He eventually stopped in the middle of the second day and spent the few hours before Annie arrived by doing some exercises that would promote his healing. The wounds on the back of his knees had healed into red scars and in a few more days would fade into thin white ones. Armin could bend and walk normally now so he wasn’t complaining.
Armin had showered that morning, tied his long blonde hair at his nape, wore a grey sweatshirt and black sweats, his boots had been given back to him, so Armin wore those too with clean black socks. Most of his external wounds were on the mend to being healed and there was only one rib that was still hurting Armin and making it slightly hard to breathe but compared to a few days ago, Armin would say he was pretty healed up. Armin had noticed that even for a werewolf, he regenerated faster than others. Based on his findings, Armin knew that his DNA and his fathers meddling was the cause for it.
Armin was doing some push ups when he caught a whiff of Annie’s scent. He glanced up, dipping low to the ground, and saw her approaching form. Armin gripped the ground, pushing himself up and standing as the guard yelled at her but left them alone. At least inside the room, Armin was sure that someone would be station outside. That was fine. It was more space than he thought Magath would give him.
“Hey.” Armin repeated back, watching her lock herself in the cell with him. Armin took in Annie’s uniform, having never seen it before on her and thought she looked good, that it suited her even. So why did it make Armin so angry? He clenched his fists, letting his eyes zero in on all the visible bruising around her face and neck, hearing her screams just days before and Magath’s sing song voice telling Armin that Derek had raped Annie.
“Are you okay?” Armin asked gently, moving back to his chair and sitting on it, the book still leaning against its side and now Armin’s body.
Armin was doing everything he can to relax, still feeling the hunger boiling just under his skin, ready to pounce. Thoughts of what Annie had to endure all these years in the hands of people like Magath and Derek just made it worse. Armin wanted to grab her to him and hug her as she had done to him as kids but figured touching her under enemy eyes wasn’t a smart idea.
“Annie...” Armin’s voice almost sounded like a whine and he glared at her, wanting her to look him in the eyes. Because he couldn’t stand it when she wasn’t looking at him.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 19, 2021 1:09:03 GMT -5
Annie knew nothing.
she knew nothing about who Armin really was, about his father, she didn't know about their childhood. She didn't even know why Magath had given her weapons and asked her to take care of him, or why he was even working on whatever it was he was working on. Hell, Annie didn't even know why Armin was there in the first place or how the hell he even found Marley with it being insanely away from New Dawn. All Annie knew was that she was confused, frustrated, and terrified. There was so much that could happen to Armin and she was sure she was responsible for it one way or another.
So when he had the audacity to ask if she was okay, she stiffened up visibly, subconsciously rubbing at the fading bruises on her neck. Why did he care so much? She knew that he liked her, but a small crush wasn't enough for him to put his life in danger like this. It shouldn't be. She wanted to scream at him, ask him questions, hit him even. He was so stupid for being put in this cell, he was so stupid for playing along, and he was even stupider for harvesting worry for her when he was in such a situation.
Yet, she couldn't be mean to him or even act out on any of her initial hostility because she had been dead worried about him. The relief she felt at seeing him unchained and unharmed was greater than anything else she felt at the moment and her eyes watered up slightly in a sense of happiness and relief.
Still, she hesitated to look at him and instead, went over to the cart that sat in a corner of his cell. "Magath told me you needed blood to check something out." She said, grabbing a collection tube and walking over to lay it on his lap. Her breath hitched slightly, as she looked at his hands, wanting to see more of him but feeling a deep sense of shame. She knew no guard was in the cell blocks with them, but that didn't mean that the walls didn't have ears, they always did.
Sighing, she pressed at the silver ring on her pointer finger, causing a small silver thorn to pop up and out. She pressed the meaty part of her thumb against it, stabbing the thorn through her flesh. "Come on before I start healing." She told him, leaving the thorn in her skin until he moved the tube to collect the blood.
Annie chose this moment to finally glance up at him, even though her head was tilted down and her face hardly visible. "I'm okay if you are." She whispered quickly and low, raising her voice so that she can continue talking in a normal tone. "He told me to tell you to test it against your samples and that tomorrow would be a big day for you."
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Post by Ventia on Apr 19, 2021 5:19:51 GMT -5
Armin stared at Annie, seeing her tense up after his question and rubbing at her neck. His jaw twitched, her bruises proof of Armin’s uselessness, feeling his rage battling inside of him with no sign of calming down. She had always been the one to save him, his Annie. Time after time Annie saved his life. From when they were kids. To when they were training together. Even now, Armin was alive because Annie had made it so. Had she not had yelled his name a few days ago, Magath would have slit his throat. Then everything would have been over for Armin and Annie would be left here alone once more. Or on her way to her grave.
Armin grabbed the tube, pressing it to Annie’s thumb at her request and watching it slowly filled. He corked it and grabbed Annie’s wrist, bringing her thumb into his mouth. Her blood was sweet and Armin flicked his tongue against the cut, getting a good taste as he done so. Armin pulled her wrist back, gave her a smile, and got up to test the blood before it clotted.
As Armin worked, he mused loudly to himself. “A big day huh? How fun.” Armin said sarcastically, using a syringe to extract some of his blood out from his arm and then testing it with Annie’s blood. He watched as it combined and then examined it under a microscope, seeing what he had feared most. Armin grabbed the sample and crushed it in his hands, bowing his head in defeat. He dispose of the broken shards of glass in the trash and rubbed his hand on his pant leg, turning back and leaning on the table, facing Annie.
What was he supposed to say? Armin felt like he had to say something but knew he couldn’t. Anything he said would find it’s way back to Magath and put Annie in more danger. “It won’t work,” Armin began, “what Magath wants? It’s impossible, shifters are already unstable as they are with just one form. You put another in there, a different shift with its own set of dna, and the body wouldn’t be able to cope with them both. Either they’ll die or they’ll become so crazed that’ll they’ll lose their humanity and become a monster. The chances of it becoming a success are slim to one. Probably less.” It was all true and backed up by his fathers journals. Armin thought of his blood and knew that his father had given him the best chance he had. But even then, Armin could see it all going wrong. Could see himself dying or losing all rational thought and going on a rampage. Even hurting Annie.
Armin gripped the table behind him, his voice lowering but still loud enough to be heard. “When that happens-” Armin stopped, unable to say the words. He wanted to ask Annie to kill him if the worst came to happen but Armin couldn’t bring himself to pass on that curse to her. To burden her with such a thing.
Armin glanced away, realizing he shouldn’t be speaking about such things. Armin shouldn’t be wasting his last moments with her. Armin moved back to his seat, grabbed the book that was sitting there, and held it out to Annie.
“Here. You can have it. After my big day tomorrow, you can give it back if you want.” Armin felt a shiver of shyness fill him as he held out the book, his eyes watching her face for any sign of recognition. But since there would be none, Armin felt a sad smile cover his face. But it was fine, he thought, if she didn’t remember everything. If things didn’t go well tomorrow, Annie would have less memories to get over. It was enough that Armin remembered and he would take all his cherished memories with the woman standing before him to his grave if that’s what fate had in store for Armin Arlert.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 19, 2021 15:44:18 GMT -5
One of Annie's golden brows arched up in question when Armin grabbed her wrist and moved her hand up to his mouth. She was curious at what he was doing, but the moment his tongue touched her thumb, she gasped lightly, a deep crimson blush covering her face. Just as quickly as he licked her finger, he had moved away from her, and she was left staring at the space he had once been standing at.
She didn't know why she felt so flustered at such a simple thing, but the shyness was so unlike herself that if she could slap herself out of it, she would. How could he just do something like that? So casual, in all his greatness, and expect her to be okay?
Annie cleared her throat awkwardly, looking down at her boots because they all of a sudden seemed to beg for her attention. She didn't bother looking at him when he spoke, even though she could feel his underlying anger tainting the room. Even as he continued to talk, Annie was still flustered and it took a large amount of energy to start snapping out of it and start focusing on what he was saying to her.
"hm?" She said, looking up with a faint blush still on her face. She blinked at the book, then at him, before moving closer and grabbing it. She sat on the chair where he had just picked the book up from, and looked up at him.
"Armin, I don't understand what you're talking about and the only reason you're not being bombarded with questions both on the science shit and why you're here is because It's not my place to ask these things, okay?" What she really wanted to say is that her questions could put both of them in danger again. If she was left in the dark about everything then Magath did so on purpose and hunting down clues and trying to figure shit out would only get them torn apart again.
Annie couldn't let that happen. She felt personally responsible for Armin being in such a situation and so she had to be extremely careful for his sake. She didn't know if it was out of a sense of responsibility but her gut screamed that it was something else. But Annie was still guilty of killing his friends, she couldn't allow herself to fantasize about things that would never happen.
"What is it?" She asked curiously, looking down at the book and caressing the worn leather of it's cover before opening it slowly. She was confused when she saw pictures upon pictures of vast and great plains, trees, caves. All naming a location, giving a brief description of the picture. She scrolled through pictures of caves, trees, description of plains and mountains, until she turned the page to a full spread picture of the sea.
Blinking, she looked up at Armin in confusion a couple of times, then down at the picture, running her hands through the pages. In her memories, she heard her voice echoing through her head, a younger higher pitch. I don't care what you say! she heard her voice crystal clear in her head, 'the Russian olive "does smell sweet, one day I'll show you and you'll owe me five bucks." Annie echoed her thoughts out loud, looking at the picture of the ocean. "A-Arlert I've seen this before, in my dream or something." Annie was stunned with an intense sense of deja vu.
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Post by Ventia on Apr 19, 2021 16:56:54 GMT -5
Armin heard her low gasp, flicked his eyes up to her face and saw the new blush blooming on Annie’s face before letting her go, Armin’s smile shifting into a half smirk as he moved away. Armin swallowed hard, still tasting Annie’s blood on his tongue, and thinking of that blush. It made Armin feel good, maybe it fed into his ego a bit but when it came to Annie? Armin didn’t mind. He liked her reactions and wanted to do more-wanted this, just the two of them, but it felt restricted right now and Armin wanted more. Armin never thought of himself as a greedy man until now. With her.
Once Annie took the book from his hands, Armin took in her face. From the light blush still against her cheeks to her bright blue eyes, to the bruises against her jaw and neck... Armin held back a growl even as he shrugged at her words.
“I was just reporting my thoughts to my guard.” Or more precisely to Magath, if his words somehow got to the man, Armin wondered if he would stop this foolishness. Most likely not, Armin thought, seeing the greed in the man’s eyes. “It doesn’t really matter I guess.” Armin leaned against the chair, sitting close enough that his legs stretched out and almost touched Annie’s boots.
Armin stayed quiet as Annie looked through the book, not answering her question about what it was. He felt tired then as the weight of their past weighed on his shoulders. When she started saying something about the olive tree, Armin closed his eyes, seeing that exactly memory playing out in his mind, steeled himself, and then opened his eyes to stare into Annie’s wide ones.
“Hmm?” Armin hummed and stared down at the picture of the sea. His favorite picture. Armin felt his lips tugging into a smile, unable to hold it back.
“Is that so? I wouldn’t think too much of it Annie,” at least not right now. Armin wanted to say, wondering what Annie would do if she remembered everything. He thought of how protective she had been as a little girl-especially of him. Armin feared she would do something stupid if she remembered everything, something that would put herself in harms way. Armin couldn’t have that.
“It’s a cute book huh? Like I said, just hold on to it until tomorrow. If you don’t want it, you can give it back. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind you having a harmless book.” Armin crossed his arms over his chest and felt himself content just being in Annie’s presence.
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Post by Decoii on Apr 19, 2021 17:47:04 GMT -5
Annie huffed playfully, "Telling me not to think about it is like giving me a one-way ticket into obsession land." She joked, surprised that she could should so lighthearted. Still, she kept looking at the picture of the sea, brows pushed together in concentration and she felt something almost painful nagging at her, but she couldn't figure out what it was. But she could feel something, at the back of her mind, begging her to figure it out.
Subconsciously, Annie reached out to Armin, placing her hand lightly on his head and curling her fingers in his blonde hair, Feeling the thickness of his hair before stroking his head lightly, attempting to give him comfort in whichever way she could. If Armin wanted too, he could knock her out, take her weapons and keys, ands try to escape. She would deal with Magath on her own, she realized. But a glance down at him, she knew in her heart without hesitation that he would never do something like that to her.
"You look tired," She commented lightly, looking around his room and realizing that it didn't offer him a place to actually rest.
A sudden noise from the steps made Annie remove her hand from his hair and stand up, tucking the book under her arm as she headed towards the bars of the cell. "Food time," A guard mumbled as he made his way to Armin's cell, frowning at the fact that Annie was inside with him but not saying anything out loud.
"Can you take it to cell three? Magath instructed him to have rest before tomorrow." Annie told the guard simply, pulling out her keys to unlock the cell and hold the door open for Armin. The guard placed the food in the empty cell, two bottles of water next to it, and gave Annie a mocking salute before exiting.
Rolling her eyes, she turned to Armin, visibly more relaxed now that they were alone again. "Come on, the bed there isn't so bad. Besides Magath didn't tell me when my watch over you would be over." With a shrug, she left their current cell and moved over to one that had a number three painted against the concrete. Before she got there, she opened the door to a closet, pulling her gun out of its holder and laying it against the shelf along with her knife and the keys.
She trusted Armin, but didn't want to give Magath a reason to be mad at her.
Annie waited until Armin walked into the cell before she followed him in, closing the door behind them and locking it. She made a gesture towards the food, telling him to eat if he was hungry. Then she moved towards the bed, placing the book next to herself as she sat down and worked on taking off her boots. The boots came out easily once she removed the piece of protective metal that extended down the length of her shin. "Aren't you glad I never kicked you while wearing these?" She commented as she got up again, placing the boots in a corner.
The cell was simple. It stored a bed with a blanket, and a table with a chair in the opposite end. Annie took off her leather jacket, placing it on the chair then moved quickly to climb on the bed, sitting up against the wall and leaving room for Armin. "Where did you find this book?" She asked, opening it again and going through each of the pages.
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