♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

Chapter six

The beast was drained - exhausted and befuddled. He had no idea how it had happened, but he now kept a beautiful young woman hostage while her father, the true thief, returned to the safety of his home. With a shake of his head, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation. It didn't make much sense.

But then again, nothing in his life had made sense in a long, long time, he reasoned as he pushed open the castle's front door.

The beast almost collided with Armin and Mikasa when it charged through the foyer. The candelabrum and clock had been waiting for him to return with bated breath. "Eren," Armin began, "Since the girl is going to be with us for quite some time-"

"And I hope 'forever' was an exaggeration," Mikasa said, her tone as flat and polished as a majordomo should be. "We don't have the personnel for such a long stay..." As the beast turned and glared at her, her voice trailed off.

Armin was unfazed and went on his way. "You might want to give her a more comfortable space," he said smoothly, "whether it's for a day or a lifetime."

"This whole castle is a jail," said the beast. The beast spoke up angrily. Floch, the coatrack, tried to steal the beast's cloak as he spoke. The beast swept him aside and proceeded to the grand staircase. "What difference does a bed make?" he added over his shoulder. He vanished into the shadows without waiting for a response.

Mikasa held her tongue until she was certain her master couldn't hear her, and even then, she spoke quietly. "Yes, indeed. It's a jail because of you, Eren, and I enjoy being a clock." She sighed vehemently. Mikasa knew she had to be the image of respect at all times as the head of the beast's household. However, it was not always easy. It was also difficult to forget that he and the rest of the staff were in their current state because of the master they still had to serve. "I had a feeling he wouldn't say yes."

"But technically," Armin pointed out, "he didn't say no." The candelabrum walked towards the prison tower's stairwell, flashing Mikasa a sly smile.

Mikasa stayed motionless behind him. She was well aware of Armin's intentions. Reading the romantic footman was as simple as reading a novel. The candelabrum desired to free the girl and place her somewhere more visible in the hopes that she would be the one to break the curse they were all under, a curse that had remained unbroken for all those years due to one simple fact: Both literally and metaphorically, the beast was a beast. And, considering the curse the enchantress had put on them, someone had to love him.

Mikasa let out a sigh. Her friend was well-intentioned, she realized. Mikasa, on the other hand, was a realist. The girl would not love the titan no matter where she laid her head. And if Armin got his way and got her out of jail, Eren would be angry. Mikasa started stumbling towards the stairwell. Armin needed to be stopped before the candelabrum did something they'd all regret.

Armin, on the other hand, had already opened the cell door. "I apologize for intruding, Mademoiselle," he said into the darkness, "but the master has dispatched me to escort you to your bedroom."

Y/N sat on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She got up when she heard Armin's voice. "My room?" she inquired, perplexed. "However, I thought -"

"You were mistaken," Armin responded. "He's a Titan. Not a monster."

Y/N emerged in the cell doorway a few moments later, holding a stool over her head. She searched the area for the source of the voice she'd heard.

"Hello," Armin said.

Looking down, Y/N saw Armin waving one of his candlesticks at her. She screamed. Y/N then swung the stool at Armin, knocking him to the ground, as if he were a mouse who had surprised her in the pantry. His candles burned out, leaving the tower in the dark.