AruAni- Together till death

On that fateful day...

"When was it ... that you started ... looking at me like that"

These words rang in Armins head as Mikasa dragged him and Eren into the underground passage.

He couldn't speak. A tsunami of emotions was going through his heart.Pain, hate, love, confusion and guilt was eating him up. And it took him back to that fateful day in the training corps.....

"Attention Cadets!!!" Commandant Shadis's voice thundered, through the ranks of the 104th southern training corps. Every trainee looked at him.

"You all have been practicing hand to hand combat with an instructor for the last month, well that's changing. From now on you will pair up with another cadet and will be practicing with them"

A chatter broke amongst the trainees as they started to discuss what the commandant had said. For the last month that had been training in hand to hand combat amongst other things like ODM gear training, a bit of a titan biology class and tactics training but hand to hand combat had been the dullest and the class that no one looked forward to thanks to the fact that they had to fight with an instructor but that was change.

"I haven't finished yet!!!" Once again the commandant's voice thundered and there was pin drop silence.

"Don't get too excited you are not going to the the luxury to pic a partner I have already picked them"

The entire corp sighed at the mention of this but we're quickly shut up by the commandant with another one of his signature glares.

Armin Arlert was a weak little boy with large hazel blue eyes, he was lean with blond hair and had almost nothing when it came to muscle. But his lack of physical strength did not make him useless; he was possibly the smartest amongst the entire 104th cadets.

He never picked fights and usually hung out Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman, his two best friends since childhood.

At hearing what the commandant said Armin hoped that he would be paired with Eren but he knew that the commandant would never do that.

They would possibly be paired with people with whom they have the least contact with.

And he was right of course....

Eren was paired with Jean Kirstein while Mikasa was paired with Bertolt Hoover and finally Armin Arlert was paired with Annie Leonhart.

Now Jean and Eren have had a turbulent relationship since the first day at the survey corp. Each of them never let go of a chance to mock the other. Sometimes resulting in violent fights that Mikasa had to stop.

Mikasa and Bertolt had a normal friendly relationship.

Now coming to Armin and Annie they had never even talked to each other. Annie Leonhart was known to be a loner and the most unfriendly person in the 104th. Her reputation was one of a cold hearted lone wolf who would not think twice before breaking your neck if you messed with her.

Armin walked up to her and said,
"Hey Annie"

She looked at him indifferently and scanned him from head to toe.

Armin continued "So let's start"

"Ok"she said.

And so they began. Armin spent the entire day getting beat up by Annie. By the time they were done his face was red with bruises. He couldn't even walk properly.
While she was standing without a scratch.

Annie almost felt sorry for him. She was thinking"What the hell is he doing"for her he was the literal epitome of weakness.

The most shocking thing was when Armin smiled and said "Right I'll see you next day at the training then"

She was shocked beyond anything and couldn't help but wonder why this boy was here. He wouldn't survive a day outside the walls and he was planning to join the survey corp with Eren Yeager. The worst part was how nice he was. Complimenting her after she downed him each and every time. She claimed herself...

"I must not overthink", she told herself ,"I am a warrior on a mission ",she told herself.

Armin was sitting in the dining hall with Eren beside him and Mikasa sitting in front of him. Mikasa was unscarred by the training she had beaten Bertolt every time but Eren was hurt. He and Jean fought seriously and both were hurt like hell.

Armin couldn't help but steal a glance at Annie once in a while. She was sitting beside her bunkmate Mina. She was in her regular jacket and her countenance was indifferent.

Suddenly Mikasa said "Armin you should change your partner"..

"Ehh..What... why??"

Mikasa said "What do you mean why?...I mean look at you u look like you have been through hell... we are just practicing who beats someone like this?"

"It's fine Mikasa if I don't get beat I'll never get better" he said

"Whatever you say just remember that we are here for you" Mikasa replied.

Armin gave her a simple and went back to eating and continued to steal glances at Annie.

Annie sat beside Mina trying to clear her head. Mannnn this Arlert boy had planted himself like a virus inside her head no matter what she tried she couldn't get him out. She kept telling herself "act normal" , "don't think about it" and whatnot.

She tried to control her desire to steal a glance at him but couldn't...

She gave in

Slowly but surely her head turned towards him. Her eyes were met by his. And for a moment they stared at each other before breaking eye contact and looking straight back.

She thought, "Shit he saw me looking at him...wait was he looking too?.."

He thought, "I am so dead...Annie Leonhart caught me staring at her...Mannn I am so dead"

........
Ohh what a memory it was....
Suddenly he snapped back into reality to hear Mikasa ask "Armin are you ok, Are you hurt can you run"..

He nodded and ran turning only to see Annie's giant hand trying to find them...

.......