The Turquoise Cure (Eren X Reader)

Annie (Flashback)

flashback

    "Hey, Annie," you sighed, sitting criss-crossed on the cold dungeon ground. "It's been a while." Staring into the crystalline glass, you couldn't help but wonder if she could hear anything at all. "Look," you said, wringing your wrists in your hands, "we haven't talked in a while." You knew that Armin visited her frequently, sitting, talking with her, keeping her updated. Ever since he had inherited Bertoldt's memories, he seemed to have had a special soft spot reserved for Annie. You assumed it was because he could empathize: he never asked to become the next Colossus Titan- he just did as he was told. 

    "I'm sorry I haven't visited you," you whispered, not making direct eye contact with Annie's closed eyes through the glass. You couldn't bear to look at her lifeless body like that, deteriorating more and more every week with starvation. She was practically disappearing right before your eyes. "You know," you began again, the utter silence of the room suffocating, "I have missed you, believe it or not." You looked for any sign of movement, but there was none that you could see. 

    "Things kind of suck right now," you said, feeling your emotions wash over you. You remembered telling her about everything back when you were trainees- talking from sunrise to sunset together while she'd play with your hair and you'd flick her nose. 

    "You know, what you did kind of really sucked," you whispered, biting your bottom lip to keep the tears from spilling out. It had been years since she'd retreated into her crystalline cocoon, and yet this was still the first time you had visited her. "You were my best friend," you said, the room slightly echoing your words, magnifying them to an extent. 

   "I don't know if you can even hear me, or anyone for that matter," you sighed, running your fingers through your hair, "but I'm sure Armin's told you... We've made a sort of deal with some of the people on Marley to try and- well, I don't even know what we're trying to do," you sighed, rubbing your temples tiredly. "Eren's been in some indirect contact with Zeke, who's like apparently his half brother or something," you laughed. 

    Several moments of silence wrapped around you once more. "It's just," you began again, "I have this feeling that this is where everything goes wrong. He says he won't leave, he says he'll trust us, but I can't just pretend I don't have doubts." 

    "My god," you giggled, burying your face in your hands once more. "It's just like old times- me complaining about the inconsistencies of men and you... well, I guess that's not the same." Your face fell. "I think I'm gonna go now," you said, your bones cracking as you stood up from the cold ground. As you approached the door, your cold hand grasping the colder handle, you turned back. 

    "I wouldn't mind if we got a chance to reunite, you know, if or when you ever leave," you said, looking into Annie's intermittently sleeping face once last time. She was so peaceful now, not like when she was really sleeping. She looked slightly more pained when you had used to see her sleep, but the stillness and the relaxed look under her eyes were identical. 

    "Okay, well, bye, Annie," you said, closing the door behind you as you left. You gasped as you saw Armin right outside the door, nearly running into him as you closed the door quietly. "You're finally visiting her?" Armin asked, a smirk on his face. "I guesss," you said, rubbing the back of your neck with embarrassment. "I take it you come a lot?" you asked, noticing the mat that Armin had carried with him to kneel on. "As often as I can," he said, offering a weakened grin. As he made to enter the room, you stopped him. 

    "Do you think she can leave on her own free will?" you asked, your eyes desperate. Armin didn't;t say anything for several moments. "I'd like to think that she has some say in it," he breathed, "but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be a little upset to know that she doesn't want to come back to us." You nodded, realizing that what he said was right. "Thanks, Armin," you said, patting his shoulder as you began to turn away. "No problem," he said, the sound of the large door creaking before him drowning out into your ears as you ascended the steps out of the dungeon. 

    The same dungeon where, three years later, Eren would be sitting before you, telling you that the only way that he could carry out the Rumbling was for you to hate him. The same dungeon that Eren sobbed in after you left, smashing mirrors, broken glass flying about. The same dungeon he escaped from, leaving you nothing behind, no clues, no goodbyes, nothing.

Author's Note: 

could you tell I had no motivation to write today?? haha I'm literally dying on the inside 👹